


I Promise You

by BlackLightning1212



Series: Dare [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 21:17:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 265,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7861477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackLightning1212/pseuds/BlackLightning1212
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to I Dare You. One year ago, Beca Mitchell left California and signed a record deal that took her to Nashville, TN. Now she's a successful DJ and recording artist, but never moved on from the one that got away. Chloe Beale remained behind at Barden after pushing away the love of her life. Will they find a way back together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings! I'm going to start this off by saying if you haven't read my first story, I Dare You, I'd highly recommend you do so. You'll be a little lost if you don't. This story picks up one year later, and will have plenty of flashbacks to cover that time jump.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters.
> 
> The point of view switches this chapter, so keep an eye out for that. Enjoy!

* * *

 

 Beca unlocked the door to her apartment, yawning as she stepped inside, hung her keys up on the hook by the door, and flipped the light on. DJ'ing always zapped her energy, and she was exhausted after the long night. Of course, after the performance was the meet and greet with the VIP section. It was still a drain on her, even though she was working on becoming more of a people person. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate her fans, they'd been her lifeline over the past year, but Beca had always preferred solitude to company and that wasn't something that was going to change overnight.

A tired grin spread across her lips as she heard movement from somewhere deeper inside her apartment. This was her favorite thing about coming home, and she wasn't disappointed as the dog trotted around the corner, his tail instantly wagging furiously. Beca laughed as he jumped up, catching his front paws with one arm and wrapping the other around him in a hug.

"Hey, Zeus! Did you miss me, buddy?" she asked, letting him lick her cheek before he dropped back down.

Beca scratched behind his ears as he wiggled happily and pressed against her legs, before grabbing the leash off the hook and clipping it to his collar. After a short walk, she brought him back inside, hanging the leash back up and ventured into the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and took a sip, moving to sit down on the couch, wishing she had something stronger as her thoughts strayed to the one she couldn't forget. They say time heals all wounds, but Beca was a firm believer that the sentiment was a load of shit.

It had been a little less than a year since she'd left California after losing the love of her life, and Beca was no closer to moving on than she'd been the night Chloe told her there was someone else. The scene replayed in her mind constantly, whether she was awake or asleep. She couldn't escape those words, or the way Chloe had delivered them so easily. 'This was never going to be forever...It's time to grow up. Go to Nashville.' Beca shook her head, trying to think of something else, only to recall how clearly Chloe had told her they were over, and that she wasn't in love with her anymore.

She was momentarily distracted as Zeus hopped up on the couch beside her, curling up into a ball. Beca let her hand stroke his large head, immeasurably grateful for his presence. She found her thoughts wandering back to the day she'd adopted him, which brought a smile to her face. Stacie had suggested it about a month after she'd moved, saying that dogs were awesome companions and were actually proven to provide a lot of comfort. Beca was a little skeptical, but had gone to the shelter the next day.

 

* * *

_  
(flashback)_

_Beca slowly wandered around the shelter, taking her time in searching for a dog that would be a good fit for her. She knew she didn't want a puppy, since her schedule would never allow her the time a puppy demanded. She found herself frozen in front of an enclosure containing a large black dog, and she felt an instant connection when she looked inside. He was laying calmly on the ground, but his eyes seemed intelligent as he watched the people passing by._

_A mother and her son stopped beside her, the boy instantly deciding that the dog was "the one." The mother had taken one look at his information sheet, before declaring in an awful tone, "Absolutely not, Ian. Pit Bulls are dangerous. Besides, that one looks like he's been here a long time. There's obviously something wrong with him."_

_Beca raised an eyebrow as they walked away, before flagging down one of the workers._

_"Can I help you?" The woman asked, a friendly smile on her face._

_Beca nodded, leaning over to look at his sheet, asking, "I'd like to know more about...Buddy?" She frowned at the name, instantly disliking how generic it was._

_"Of course. We just got him a few weeks ago. He was found wandering alone a few miles from here, and a gentleman kindly brought him in," she explained. "We named him Buddy in hope that it would make him sound friendlier. He gets along really well with the other dogs during playtime, but the minute people see he's a Pit...well, they don't have the best reputations."_

_Beca let that information sink in, studying the dog for another minute. "So you don't know anything about him? How old he is or if he's healthy?"_

_"Actually, he was found with a collar and tags, but unfortunately they didn't contain any identifying information. We were able to determine he's at least up to date on his rabies vaccination based on one of the tags, but that was about it. We had him examined by a vet immediately, and she determined he's in excellent condition. We're waiting to update the rest of his shots in case the rest are current as well. The vet estimated he's around three years old. Sad really, it seems that someone decided they just didn't want him anymore," the woman finished, a sympathetic lilt to her tone._

_Beca frowned at those words as they hit way too close to home, feeling the fresh hurt bubble up inside her chest._

" _So someone just dumped him off and left him alone?" she asked, unable to stop a bit of anger from creeping into the question._

" _Yes, it seems that way. Unfortunately, it's a familiar story around here. Would you like to meet him?"_

_Beca looked over at her, answering, "Yes, please." She extended her hand, adding, "I'm Beca."_

_"Rachel," the woman replied, shaking her hand before unlocking the door. "Don't worry, he's very friendly. Take your time. The door will lock automatically when you leave."_

_Beca thanked her, and stepped inside the small room, taking notice as the dog stood up when she entered. His tail wagged slowly back and forth as he approached. She held out her hand for him to sniff, breaking into a smile as he licked her fingers. Taking a closer look at him, she noticed he was entirely black, except for a white patch on his chest. Beca pulled her phone out and did a Google search for pictures of Pit Bulls, frowning when she looked back at the dog._

_"He must be mixed with something," she muttered, noting that he was much leaner than the images on her phone, but still very muscular. His face was also different, with perky ears and a longish nose. Locking her phone and slipping it back into her pocket, she sat down on the floor, grinning when the dog laid down beside her with a curious look._

" _So no one wanted you either, huh?" she said, unable to deny the bond she already felt forming with him._

_All she could think about was that they were basically in the same boat. The person they trusted and thought loved them had left, and now they were both alone._

_"You're pretty cute," she admitted, reaching out to scratch behind his ears._

_That must have been his magic spot, because the dog instantly let out a happy whine, his large head pushing forward against her hand as he scooted closer._

_"Want to ditch this joint and come home with me?" Beca asked, for some reason feeling completely comfortable talking to the dog. He looked at her patiently, and she said, "Thought so. You need a new name though, dude. I'll be right back."_

_Beca left the room and quickly searched out Rachel._

_The woman recognized her instantly, and asked, "How'd it go?"_

_Beca grinned at her. "I'll take him."_

 

* * *

 

Beca sighed, twisting the cap back onto her bottle of water and placing it on the coffee table. She should be happy…hell, she should be over the fucking moon. Her career had taken off like a shot, and even she hadn't expected things to happen so quickly. Big Machine had been a dream come true, and had come through on all their promises. Beca was in a studio recording her first single two weeks after arriving, and making her debut as a DJ in a little less than two months. They'd hooked her up with one of their professionals and she'd caught on quickly, instantly falling in love with playing her music for others.

Her single had been a success, starting slow before skyrocketing to the top of the charts, where it remained for a solid month. She'd finished her first album in six months and was seriously proud of how well it turned out, knowing how hard she'd worked on it. Her team of musicians and producers were incredible, and Beca was constantly absorbing new information, which left her too tired to do much more than collapse in bed next to Zeus at the end of the day. Her album had gone Multi-Platinum, surpassing her wildest dreams for it, and the label had thrown her a huge party to celebrate.

On top of all that craziness were the public appearances that she agreed to in her contract. She was thankful for all the PR work that Big Machine did on her behalf, and dutifully showed up to each and every venue, club, radio show, talk show...whenever, wherever, she was there. She'd been instructed to get Twitter and Instagram accounts, and her own YouTube channel, and given a lengthy lecture on the importance of social media. It was completely overwhelming for her as she'd spent her entire life as an inherently private person, and was now opening the door for people all over the world to electronically stalk her. She was all too aware that the number of people interested in doing so was growing at an alarming rate.

With the success came money, and Beca was thankful to move out of the cheap one-bedroom apartment she found and into a nice building downtown. She decided against renting, and was now the proud owner of a large three-bedroom apartment that took up the entire sixth floor of the building. She and Zeus made the move a month ago, and were now comfortably settled in. The only pain was that she had to travel down six stories to take Zeus outside, but outside of that inconvenience, she loved it. She'd been allowed to remodel the third bedroom and convert it into a studio so she could work from home. The whole apartment had a modern feel, with simple furnishings and stainless steel appliances. The kitchen wasn't as large as she would have liked, but it was a million times better than the one in her previous apartment, which was basically a shoebox with an oven.

Glancing around in the dim light, she walked out onto the balcony, leaning on the railing and looking out over the city. She had an outstanding view, and spent many nights outside looking at the city lights or the stars above. Zeus followed her, laying down peacefully at her feet, and she smiled at his need to constantly be by her side whenever she was home. It was one of the many things she loved about him, that they had bonded immediately and the dog just seemed to understand exactly when she needed him most.

"Should we go to bed, bud?" Beca asked, looking down at him.

At her words, Zeus instantly trotted inside and down the hallway. Beca chuckled as she followed, shutting off the lights and made sure the door was locked tight. She took a quick shower to wash the sweat and grime from the club off, before plugging her phone in to charge and sliding into bed. Zeus was already curled up against the spare pillow, and barely cracked an eye open as she got settled.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry I disturbed you. You're gonna be in trouble when Stace visits next week and you get booted to the couch," she muttered.

She got no reaction to those words, and shook her head before turning out the light, asleep in seconds as the exhaustion caught up with her.

 

* * *

  _(CHLOE'S POV)_

"Chlo...Chloe...Earth to Chloe Beale?"

Chloe jerked her eyes up, spinning around to look at Aubrey who was eyeing her with a concerned look. "Yeah?' she answered, hoping her friend would distract her from what she'd just seen.

"I was asking if you're ready to go," Aubrey said, gesturing at the groceries that were already stacked in the cart. "What were you looking at, anyways?"

Chloe swallowed hard, glancing back down at the magazine cover and knew it was too late to hide it from Aubrey. The blonde stepped closer to see, letting out a small sigh at the brunette on the cover.

"Oh...I should have known," Aubrey said, her voice softening as she looked hesitantly at her friend. "Come on, let's go cook dinner."

Chloe allowed her friend to lead her out of the store, but the magazine cover was permanently printed in her mind, the headline sticking out like a sore thumb. "ROMANCE FOR BECA MITCHELL? Find out who the hottest DJ has been cozying up to!" The photo was obviously snapped by paparazzi, as Beca wasn't looking at the camera, but she looked so stunning it made Chloe's heart ache.

Aubrey spoke up as they reached the car, saying, "Chlo, you should know better than to believe that trash. It's all a bunch of lies."

Chloe remained silent and lost in her thoughts as she helped load the groceries into the trunk. Of course she knew that, but she also knew that Beca was famous now. She probably had people falling all over themselves for a shot with her, and after the way Chloe had treated her, she wouldn't be surprised at all if Beca was dating someone. She climbed into the passenger seat as Aubrey returned the shopping cart, wondering for the millionth time how different her life would be if Beca had stayed. It was selfish and unhelpful, but it was all she had these days. Chloe constantly pictured how things would be if she hadn't convinced Beca to go, confident that they would still be together, and happy.

Aubrey slid behind the wheel of her convertible, glancing over at the redhead. "Chloe, it's time to move on. You need to forget about her."

Chloe glanced over at her friend, knowing she was only trying to help.

Aubrey continued, "Let's plan a fun trip this summer! Want to drive up the coast?"

Chloe hesitated, not yet having told Aubrey of her plans this summer. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Uh, I'm not staying here this summer, Bree. I'm going home...to spend some time with my family. I can't stay here..."

She trailed off, unable to voice the words. She needed to get away from Barden and her apartment and everything that constantly reminded her of Beca. Chloe felt like she'd spent the past year underwater, going through the motions and trying to survive one day at a time. Knowing that she'd done the right thing for Beca hadn't helped one bit, the pain every bit as real and permanent as her actions.

It was an impossible situation. Chloe was thrilled that Beca was becoming a star, not surprised at all at how quickly the brunette rose to fame. On the other hand, it meant that Beca was everywhere. She was on the radio, on television; her face was splashed across the covers of magazines as everyone wanted to interview the "hottest person in the music industry." Chloe couldn't escape her, not that she wanted to, and refused to talk about Beca with Aubrey. The only thing she would say is that it was her fault, no one else's, and she was going to deal with the consequences.

Although she wouldn't admit it out loud, Chloe was miserable. She forced herself to maintain the cheerful exterior that her colleagues at Barden had become accustomed to, retreating into solitude at the end of the day and hiding alone in her apartment. She missed Beca terribly, feeling like there was a hole in her chest that would never heal. By the end of the year, her apartment had become almost unbearable, and she needed to get away. Her mother had been asking her to come home for months, and she finally decided to try and use the summer to start fresh. Her flight was booked and she'd be returning to Tennessee for three months after graduation on Saturday. Grace was thrilled, and the more Chloe thought about it, the more she was looking forward to letting her mother distract her from her heartache.

Aubrey's voice broke her concentration. "You're going to spend the summer in the same city as Beca? Do you think that's the best idea?"

Chloe sighed, answering, "I've thought about that. But that's my home, Bree. My family is there, my best friend is there, and as much as I value our friendship, it's just not the same."

Aubrey nodded understandingly. "I get it, Chlo. I'm sorry I haven't been more helpful this year. I know you're struggling."

"It's okay," Chloe shrugged, looking over at Aubrey. "I don't think anyone could have helped me much this year. It was so hard...it still is."

"Sorry those blind dates didn't help much," Aubrey said sheepishly, causing Chloe to snicker at the memory.

"Bree, I'm glad we're friends. But never again. Those dates were awful," Chloe replied, shaking her head.

Aubrey laughed, saying, "I didn't think they were so bad! And are you sure? There's this girl I met at the gym last week..."

"Never. Again," Chloe retorted, not letting Aubrey finish. "I just...I don't want to be with anyone else. They could have been the best dates in the world and it wouldn't have mattered," she finished quietly.

Aubrey reached over to hold Chloe's hand, and she smiled at the blonde, grateful for her support. Chloe knew her friend had meant well, even if her methods weren't what she was hoping for, and she knew she never would have made it through the year without her and Jesse. They kept her sane, along with many, many phone calls to her mother and Jess.

Chloe was really looking forward to being back in the same city as her best friend. She knew that Jess and Ashley had befriended Beca when she arrived, knowing that the brunette was heartbroken and all alone. Chloe had encouraged them to do it, especially Ashley, believing that Beca would be more open to talking with the woman since she knew how close Chloe was with Jess. It also had the added bonus of receiving sporadic updates on how Beca was doing, since her friends were completely sympathetic towards their situation. According to them, Beca was a total recluse outside of work, but Chloe found that hard to believe with all the photos and rumors swirling around of the brunette with different women.

The thought made her stomach turn, instantly feeling sick. She turned to Aubrey, her voice apologetic as she said, "Bree, I'm not really feeling up to dinner tonight."

Aubrey glanced over at her worriedly, before saying, "Okay, Chlo. You know you're always welcome."

Chloe nodded, glancing down at her hands in her lap as the car parked in front of the townhome Aubrey now shared with Jesse. She was thankful that the blonde hadn't pushed her, knowing that she would have stayed and been horrible company.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow at graduation. Say hi to Jesse for me," Chloe said, climbing out of the car and pulling her own keys out of her purse.

"I will," Aubrey replied, moving quickly around the car to give her a hug. "Call if you need to, okay?" she whispered, squeezing tightly before letting go.

Chloe took a deep breath, forcing the tears back as she nodded, before turning and making her escape.

The tears fell as soon as she pulled out of their driveway and started off down the street, continuing all the way home until she was tucked into her favorite corner spot on her couch.

 

* * *

 

Chloe walked quickly through the familiar airport, her eyes searching anxiously for the blonde hair and familiar face of her best friend. Jess had insisted on picking her up, and Chloe was beyond excited to see her.

"Chlo!"

Chloe turned to the left, instantly spotting Jess, breaking out into a wide smile as she approached and wrapped her in a hug.

"I missed you!" Chloe squealed into the blonde's shoulder, hugging her back tightly.

"Oh, girl, not as much as I missed you! Come on, let's get outta here," Jess said, moving towards the baggage claim.

Thankfully, Chloe's suitcase was one of the first to appear, and they were out of the crowded airport after only a few minutes. They made small talk all the way to the car, and Chloe was thankful that Jess saved the harder questions for when they were speeding down the highway.

"How are you, Chlo? Like, really, how are you?" Jess asked, glancing over at her.

Chloe sighed, turning to look out the window. "I'm….I'm fine."

Jess snorted, "Yeah, okay. Want to try that again?"

Chloe didn't answer, the silence filling the car until she couldn't take it. "I miss her. I miss her all the time," she admitted quietly. "I know I did the right thing, and I've regretted it every day since. And if I had to do it again, I'd still do the same thing and I'd still regret it. How is she?"

"Are you sure you really want to know?" Jess asked, her voice cryptic.

"Well not anymore," Chloe replied nervously, praying for good news. "What is it? Is she dating someone?"

Jess shook her head. "No, of course not, Chlo. How many times do I have to tell you, she doesn't see anyone….except Ash and I every once in a while. Ash more than me."

Chloe smacked Jess' arm, exclaiming, "Well why'd you go and say that then?!"

Jess shrugged, answering, "You'll never move on if you keep asking about her. Don't you think it might get easier if you didn't?"

"I don't want to move on," Chloe retorted, looking back out the window.

Jess grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that. Because she's playing at a club tonight and we're going."

Chloe snapped around to look at her best friend, eyeing the smirk on the blonde's face. "What did you say?" she asked, feeling slightly pathetic at how hopeful her tone was.

Jess' eyes flicked towards her, answering, "So, don't be mad, but Ash and I think that ya'll could totally patch things up. I mean, you're miserable over her, she's miserable over you, and since this whole breakup was really just a big lie…."

Chloe shook her head, cutting her friend off. "No, I don't think we can. She hates me, Jess."

"No, she hates what she thinks you did, Chlo," Jess argued, her tone remaining light. "Except you didn't run off and fall in love with someone else. Stacie's pretty sure that when Beca finds that out, everything will be fine."

Chloe scoffed, turning away again. "This isn't a movie. Life doesn't work out like that. She'll never forgive me for what I said to her." After processing for a moment, the realization hit her. "Since when do you talk to Stacie?"

Jess chuckled, answering, "Wondered how long it'd take you to pick up on that. This whole plan is actually her idea, but Ash and I like it. I think we've got a pretty good shot at getting you two back together."

"Do I get a say in this?" Chloe asked, unsure how she should feel about this scenario. "Not that I'm against ya'll messing with my personal life, but….oh wait, I'm completely against you three messing with my personal life!"

"Chlo, you've been a hot mess for a year. Don't deny it, we Skyped on the regular and I saw it with my own eyes," Jess said, not letting Chloe butt in. "Also, don't argue with me. I'm a lawyer. I'll win."

Chloe crossed her arms, shooting a glare across the car at her best friend.

"We love you, Chlo. And we love Beca. And you two belong together. Are you seriously going to sit there and say you wouldn't get back together with her if it was an option?" Jess asked, her voice sounding like she already knew the answer.

Chloe humored her, despite feeling confident that she and Beca would never get back together. "Of course I would, but that'll never happen. Why are you asking me a question you already know the answer to?"

"Lawyers prefer questions we already know the answer to. Surprises are the enemy. Can't plan for wildcards. Anyways, that's not the point," Jess said, emphasizing with a finger pointed in her direction. "The point is, Stacie is visiting Beca and she's confident she can get through to her. So all Ash and I have to do is get you to the club tonight! Which is why I volunteered to pick you up from the airport, because I'm kidnapping you and you're going to the club with us tonight."

Chloe's eyes went wide as she shook her head. "Now way. Not happening."

Jess didn't seem bothered by that, answering, "I wasn't asking. Will you answer a question for me?"

"Yes. There you go, I answered a question," Chloe retorted, having played this game with Jess many times.

"Ooh, okay smartass," Jess laughed. "Glad to see my best friend is still in there somewhere. But seriously, Chlo, do you still love her?"

Chloe fell silent, looking over at her. "Of course I do," she answered quietly.

Jess sighed, reaching over to take Chloe's hand. "Then how can you not go tonight?"

 

* * *

  _(BECA'S POV)_

Beca grinned as she heard a loud knock at her door, and moved quickly across the apartment to open it. The sight of her best friend almost had her in tears of happiness, Stacie not wasting any time in wrapping her in a tight hug and lifting her off the ground. Zeus trotted over, making a nuisance of himself as he nosed around Stacie's legs.

"Ah! Put me down you giant!" Beca yelled, stepping back the second her feet touched the floor. "I hate it when you do that," she grumbled.

Stacie ignored her, cooing happily as she rubbed Zeus and let him lick her fingers. "Hi there, handsome! Is Becs treating you right? You can always come back with me."

Beca rolled her eyes, moving around the pair of them to shut the door. "How was the trip? Any problems getting here?"

Stacie finally stood up, her eyes roaming around Beca's apartment. "It went smoothly. Damn, Becs, this place is nice! You own this?"

Beca nodded, grabbing Zeus' collar and dragging him back into the apartment away from Stacie. "Go lay down, you big baby," she said, turning back to her best friend. "Yeah, I just figured it made sense. Since I live here now," she quipped.

Stacie flicked her ear as she moved into the living room, responding, "I thought it might only be temporary. Unless you're doing better than you've let on?"

"Want anything to drink?" Beca asked, avoiding the subject and moving into the kitchen.

Stacie's eyebrows rose as she looked over at the brunette. "Yeah, water would be great. And you're not that slick...with a place this nice your album sales must be off the charts."

Beca slowly made her way over to the couch, handing Stacie a glass of water as she sat down. Stacie joined her, waiting expectantly.

"I'm doing okay," Beca said, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal. "Well enough to afford Zeus and this place. I don't need much."

Stacie rolled her eyes, asking, "Since when are you all weird and vague. This isn't some interview, Becs. I'm your best friend, not some long lost relative trying to hit you up for a payout."

Beca laughed, holding her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I don't have friends here, not really. I've gotten into the amazing habit of talking without actually saying much. It's a PR thing that's been drilled into me. Sales are up, appearances are up...life is really good, Stace," she said, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"How's your love life?" Stacie was as blunt as ever, not even bothering to look ashamed.

Beca's eyes narrowed slightly, before answering, "Non-existent. I'm busy with my music, and not interested in dating. You know that."

Stacie's eyes flickered with mischief as she pulled a gossip magazine out of her bag, saying coyly, "Not according to this magazine article I read in the airport on the way here. Apparently you've been spotted "cozying up" to one..." she trailed off, flipping pages until she found what she was looking for. "Danielle Bradbery?"

Beca stared blankly back at her best friend, before finally saying, "Who the fuck is that?"

Stacie laughed, handing over the magazine. Beca glanced curiously down at the story, vaguely recognizing the woman, before sighing and tossing it lightly onto her coffee table. Leave it to the media to literally manufacture a story out of nothing.

"I recognize her, but I barely know her. She records at BMR. That photo was from the party they threw me when my album went Multi-Platinum," Beca said, her tone laced with humor as she pointed at the framed award on the wall. "I think I met over a hundred people that night, and posed with each and every one for a photo. Fucking tabloids," she said with a laugh, not worrying about the story.

"I think she's kinda cute," Stacie offered, still chuckling and earning herself a glare from the other end of the couch. "I mean, have you even thought about trying to move on, Becs?"

Beca clammed up, her stare turning frosty as she paused before answering the question. "No, I haven't."

Stacie pushed a little further, saying, "I know, I just...I don't want you to be alone forever. I worry about you."

"Well, don't," Beca huffed, getting up and moving restlessly around the room, before opening the sliding door and stepping outside onto her balcony. She felt Stacie join her a few moments later. "I tried, Stacie. I pushed myself, I got outside my comfort zone, I trusted her..." she trailed off, letting her gaze wander. "It's been a year, and I still hear her words in my head every night. I can't do that again...I just can't."

Stacie wrapped an arm comfortingly around her shoulders, pulling her close. "I'm so sorry for what happened between you and Chloe. I...I saw her when I was home. She's not dating anyone, Becs..."

Beca cut her off, saying, "Stop. I can't hear this."

"Will you just listen? Please? I don't think it's over between you two," Stacie said, a touch of desperation in her voice.

Beca turned to stare incredulously at her. "Stace, it's already over. It's been over for a year."

Stacie shot back, "She still loves you."

"No she doesn't!" Beca exploded, causing Zeus to join them on the balcony, his head nosing along her thigh. "I know because she told me so, right around the time she told me that we were never going to last and that I should grow up. She doesn't love me," Beca finished quietly, all the fight leaving her.

"She's coming here, to Nashville for the summer."

Beca's eyes shot up at those words, narrowing at her best friend. "I don't care. She can do whatever the fuck she wants. I don't want to see her, Stace."

They fell silent as Beca contemplated this new information, despite how unwanted it was. Chloe was coming here, and she was apparently not dating the dude she'd chosen over Beca. She forced it down, knowing that it didn't really matter if Chloe was single or not. She didn't love Beca, and had never seen a future that involved her in it. If it wasn't that guy, it would have been another. Beca wasn't Chloe's forever, and she was going to have to come to terms with that at some point. But that point was not right now.

Beca glanced down at her watch, murmuring, "Shit. Come on, lets get ready and cook some dinner before I need to be at the club. I'm spinning tonight."

She turned and snapped her fingers at the dog, saying, "Come on, Zeus." The dog walked obediently behind her, missing the way Stacie grinned at her words.

 

* * *

 

"Thanks, Paul." Beca smiled as the kind man opened the door for her, stepping out onto the street with Stacie right behind her.

"Have a good show, Miss Mitchell," the man said politely, returning her smile.

Beca sighed, replying with a quick "Thanks," knowing that she could ask him a million times to use her first name and see exactly zero progress.

Stacie found it extremely funny, slipping an arm around her as she stepped up beside her, whispering, "Come on, Miss Mitchell, my famous, Rockstar best friend who lives in a fancy building with a doorman."

"And a driver," Beca added innocently, gesturing at the black car awaiting them at the curb.

Stacie raised her eyebrows, joking, "Well, damn. I changed my mind, I need to borrow some money."

Beca rolled her eyes and gave the brunette a shove, walking up to the familiar man waiting for her. "Hey, Isaac," she said happily, giving him a fist bump.

"Hey DJ," he said with a smile, glancing over at Stacie.

"Isaac, this is Stacie, my best friend from home. Stace, this is Isaac," Beca said, introducing the pair.

Isaac greeted Stacie politely, holding the door open for the pair to slide into the backseat. Once he was comfortably behind the wheel, he asked, "Need to make a stop before the club?"

Beca replied, "Nope. And I know I have to make an entrance and all that shit, but Stacie does not. Can you take her around back? And pick us up there? Not really in the mood to deal with the press tonight."

"You got it."

Beca sighed, catching the look Stacie was giving her. "What, dude? You're being creepy and weird."

Stacie shrugged, saying, "You're just like, legit famous now. It's weird, but also awesome."

"I'm kinda the same I always was, just now there's a shit ton of people who care what I say, who I date, what clothes I wear, and basically everything else about my life that used to be private," Beca scoffed, looking out the window.

"When did you get a driver?' Stacie asked curiously.

Beca smirked, answering, "I poached him from the label. Isaac and I met when they flew me out here for my first visit. After I got here, he drove me to some of the bigger events, but mostly I drove myself. When the shit really hit the fan, the label recommended I hire a driver as an extra safety precaution."

They continued to chat until Isaac pulled up to the front of the club, flashbulbs already going off like crazy before anyone exited the car. They watched him step out of the driver's seat, dark sunglasses firmly in place. Beca flipped open the center console and pulled out a pair of her own.

"Becs, this is crazy," Stacie said, her voice turning a little nervous.

"Yeah, I forgot you haven't visited me in a while. Isaac will take you inside while I visit with the fans for a few minutes, sign autographs, and take selfies and shit."

Stacie nodded as the door opened and Beca stepped out of the car, dark sunglasses in place. She smiled and waved as Isaac closed the door and returned to the car, approaching her fans and signing a few autographs.

After about five minutes, Isaac appeared at her side, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Time to go, Becs."

Beca waved once more before walking through the door of the club, handing Isaac her sunglasses and easily weaving her way through to the VIP area. She found Stacie chatting with an energetic man dressed in dark jeans and a white button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked up and smiled as she approached, standing up to greet her.

"How's my favorite superstar today?" he asked, his voice overly positive.

Beca rolled her eyes, answering, "The same as every other day, Scotty. And I'm not a superstar." Turning to Stacie, she grumbled, "I see you've met my manager."

"Yep." Stacie nodded, her reply strangely short for the way the two had just been conversing.

Looking suspiciously between the two of them, she shrugged it off and said, "Right, well I've gotta get to work. Have fun, Stace."

"Scotty will take care of me," Stacie giggled, looking over at the man who nodded enthusiastically.

"Gross," Beca muttered under her breath, turning and making her way up to the DJ booth where her equipment was waiting for her, already set up.

The house DJ roared her introduction into the mic, the crowd below shouting their approval. Beca took her place behind the tables, grinning down at the happy faces, red from exertion and alcohol. Nodding her thanks at the small cooler of bottled water set up for her, she turned her attention to her music, queuing up her first mix as the other DJ slipped out of the booth.

She pulled the mic to her mouth, yelling, "How're we doing tonight?! I'm DJ BMitch and I'm honored to be spinning at Club Mai tonight!"

The crowd cheered loudly again, recognizing her stage name, and Beca quickly turned up the volume on her first mix, a mashup of Bulletproof and Titanium. It was one of her signature tracks, and the one she started off every set with. Settling into a groove, she stayed tuned in to the vibe coming from the dance floor, time slipping away as she lost herself in the music.

It was pushing one in the morning when the house DJ returned, signaling the end of her set. She quickly shouted out a thanks to the crowd and reminded them to tip their bartenders generously, before stepping outside the booth. She took a deep breath as Stacie approached her, the unreadable expression on her friend's face instantly morphing into a wide smile.

"Becs, that was incredible!" Stacie said, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Ew, you're all sweaty," she added, pulling away almost as fast.

Beca laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, it gets pretty hot in the booth." She glanced at Scotty, who remained a few feet away. "Do I have to do the meet and greet?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

He rolled his eyes, answering, "You ask me that every time, and every time I give you the same answer. Stop asking, and get your butt to the VIP lounge. Don't worry, it's a small group tonight."

Beca was a little surprised by that statement, but decided to remain silent and not question her good luck. It wasn't that she disliked talking to her fans, but after a night in the booth, all she wanted was a late night Taco Bell run, a hot shower, and a stiff drink. She usually only got one of those things, and it was the last of the three she would choose.

Stacie walked beside her as she made her way down the staircase, grabbing her arm before they could turn the corner and enter the room. Beca sighed, leaning against the wall, internally grateful for a few moments to prepare herself.

"Don't be mad, okay?" Stacie said nervously.

Beca froze, looking up to meet her best friend's gaze. "What did you do, Stace?" she asked, her voice low.

Stacie didn't respond, instead gesturing for her to turn the corner.

Beca hesitated, studying her friend for a long moment before pushing off the wall and rounding the corner into the VIP room. She was completely unprepared for the sight that greeted her eyes. Jess and Ashley were sitting on the couch, talking and laughing with the woman who had singlehandedly torn her heart into pieces. Beca was frozen in place as the three women noticed her presence immediately, going silent and rising to their feet.

Beca felt her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes locked onto the clear blue gaze that had haunted her for the past year.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to the first chapter was awesome! Glad to hear so many of you are excited about this sequel!

* * *

 

Beca spun quickly on her heel, turning her back on the four women and fled the room. She ignored Stacie's shouts behind her, needing to put as much distance between herself and Chloe as possible. Unfortunately, her best friend's long legs caught up with her, feeling Stacie grab her hand and drag her into the empty office, slamming the door shut behind them.

Beca glared at her, snapping, "What the fuck, Stace?! Why the hell would you bring her here?"

She wasn't prepared for the tall brunette to return her stare, calmly saying, "I need you to shut up, take a deep breath, and listen to me for five minutes."

"What?" Beca's eyes widened in surprise, before she continued, "You're insane if you think I'm going to listen to you right now."

"BECA! Shut the fuck up and sit down!" Stacie shouted angrily, standing firmly in front of the door and crossing her arms over her chest.

"NO!" Beca roared back, furious at her best friend. "I don't want to hear anything about her! She left me, Stacie...she chose someone else over me and I don't want to see her fucking face ever again!"

"SHE LIED!" Stacie shot back, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them. "There was never anyone else! She lied, Becs."

Beca's jaw dropped as she fell silent, Stacie's words repeating over and over in her mind. She felt all the fight leave her, collapsing down into the nearest chair. "How do you know?" she asked weakly, looking up at her best friend.

Stacie sighed, running her fingers through her hair before sitting down opposite the shorter brunette.

 

* * *

 

_(flashback)_

_Stacie pounded on the door, her eyes still teary from saying goodbye to Beca at the airport. She'd driven straight to Chloe's apartment, determined to give the redhead hell for cheating on her best friend._

_The door opened and Stacie opened her mouth ready to scream at the woman, but Chloe's appearance hit her like a truck, her anger instantly disappearing. Chloe looked terrible, with dark circles around her puffy, red eyes, obviously swollen from crying. There were tear tracks down her cheeks, and the best way Stacie could describe her was hollow, as if the life had been sucked out of the normally cheerful teacher._

_"Oh fuck," Stacie murmured, the realization of what happened washing over her._

_Chloe didn't say a word, stepping aside and gesturing for Stacie to enter the apartment. As she stepped over the threshold, Chloe shut the door behind her, shuffling slowly back over to the couch. Stacie followed her, spotting Chloe's phone plugged into a small speaker next to a box of tissues, most of which seemed to be scattered around the floor and coffee table._

_Stacie sat down in the chair closest to the redhead, who had clearly resumed the spot she'd previously been occupying for quite some time. She had no idea what to say, and was thankful when Chloe spoke first._

_"She's gone, right?" Chloe asked, her voice rough and full of pain. "She signed the deal?"_

_Stacie nodded, feeling like she might start crying all over again at the look on Chloe's face._

_"Good," Chloe whispered, her voice breaking as tears spilled down her cheeks. Sniffling, she continued, "I did what I had to. She wasn't going to go."_

_"I know," Stacie said, sitting forward and reaching out to take Chloe's hand, trying to offer some comfort. "I probably don't even need to ask, but there's no one else, is there?" Her tone was resigned, feeling instantly guilty for voicing the question at the look in Chloe's eyes as the redhead met her gaze, silently shaking her head._

_"Of course not. It hurts that I had to say it, and it hurts even more that she believed it," Chloe answered. "But I had no choice...she wasn't going to go. Now she's gone forever, and I'll probably never see her again."_

_Stacie felt her own heart break at the impossible situation Chloe had been in, knowing that she was partly to blame. Chloe might not have felt so inclined to do whatever it took if she hadn't pushed her. She'd put that weight on Chloe's shoulders, and now both women were heartbroken over each other._

_She wanted to tell Chloe that she and Beca would see each other again, that they could overcome this, but she knew how broken her best friend was over the redhead. Stacie had only seen Beca like that once, and it had lasted years. Instead of speaking, Stacie shifted onto the couch next to Chloe, pulling the smaller woman into a hug as she started to cry again._

_"It'll be okay," Stacie murmured, but her heart wasn't in her words._

_Chloe reached forward, tapping a few buttons on her phone until music started playing from the small speaker. Stacie wasn't prepared for Beca's voice to permeate the room, the song slow and sad and beautiful._

_Chloe clung tightly to Stacie, softly replying, "No, it won't. I don't think I'll ever be okay."_

 

* * *

 

Beca felt the tears running down her cheeks as she waited until Stacie finally looked up at her. Stacie reached forward, placing a hand on the brunette's knee as she processed the words.

"So, there was never another guy?" Beca asked weakly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.

Stacie shook her head no. "She panicked, Becs. She knew you needed to come here, and said what she had to for that to happen."

Beca shook her head in disbelief, covering her face with her hands. Suddenly looking up, she asked, "What did you say to her?"

Stacie hesitated, but knew she needed to come clean. "I knew that you were thinking of staying, and that you were stubborn enough to do it. I asked her to talk to you...to convince you to go. I told her I didn't really care how she did it, but that she was the one who could get you to go."

Beca felt her anger return, snapping, "How could you do that?! Stacie, I've been miserable for a year! You are supposed to be my best friend and instead you sabotage the only good…hell the only relationship I've ever had?!"

Stacie retorted just as hotly, "I fucked up! I know that, okay? But even you have to admit that this was the right thing! You belong here! Look at what's happened over the past year!"

"I'm so mad at you," Beca muttered, rubbing her eyes and knowing that she probably looked like a drunk raccoon.

Stacie sighed, "I know. And I deserve it. But right now, there's a redhead out there who has suffered just as much as you have, if not more. If you still love her, go talk to her, because I know for a fact that she never stopped loving you."

Beca looked up at her, asking, "How do you know that? It's been a year. She could have moved on."

"Have you?" Stacie questioned, making Beca turn defensive.

"Do you even need to ask me that?" Beca retorted, knowing that Stacie already knew the answer to her question.

Without another word, Beca rose from the chair and left the room. She made a quick stop in the bathroom to wash her face, noting her eyes were still a little red and swollen.

"Fuck it," Beca muttered, walking out and making her way back to the VIP area, relieved to see the other three women still there.

Beca allowed herself to look at Chloe, all the feelings and emotions hitting her at once, her heart thumping heavily at just how beautiful she was. She had missed the redhead every single day they'd been apart, unable to move on despite believing that Chloe was happy with someone else. The pain had spurred her on, finding the tiniest bit of comfort in feeling something...anything. Feeling pain was better than feeling nothing, and it gave her hope that one day it would fade. Now, as she looked at the redhead, Beca was surprised at the nervous feeling that settled in her stomach, along with a hopefulness that they could repair what was so damaged and broken.

Jess and Ashley noticed the look on Beca's face, quickly excusing themselves and leaving the two women alone. Chloe stood up from the couch she'd been sitting on, slowly walking over to stand a few feet away.

Beca watched her every move, her eyes meeting Chloe's pale blue gaze and seeing a hope that matched her own. Deciding to be bold, she made the first move.

"Why'd you lie to me?" she asked, her voice cracking with emotion.

Chloe's expression didn't waver as she answered, "You know why."

Beca nodded, keeping her eyes locked on Chloe's. "I'm mad at you for lying, and pushing me away."

"I'm mad at you for not going on your own. For making me lie and push you away," Chloe replied immediately.

Beca took a deep breath to steady her pounding heart, slowly reaching forward and locking her fingers with Chloe's, gaining confidence when she felt the redhead grip her hand.

"I'm still in love with you," Beca whispered, taking a step closer.

Chloe smiled, and Beca felt all the weight of the past year fall away. That was her smile, the smile that Chloe reserved for her, the one that was as bright as the sun and made her feel like she could perform miracles. She'd seen it the first time when she agreed to be Chloe's girlfriend, and again the first time she told Chloe she loved her on New Year's Eve, and again the morning after when she gave Chloe the flash drive with her music on it. In that moment Beca knew that they were going to be okay, and that they were going to make it.

"I never stopped loving you, Beca," Chloe murmured, taking her own step closer. "I'll love you forever."

Beca felt happiness flooding through her, not waiting another second as she leaned in and pressed her lips to Chloe's. It was tentative and soft and wet, only lasting a few seconds before she pulled back, tears streaming down both of their faces. Then Chloe's arms were around her hugging her close, and Beca was holding on for dear life, as if it was all a dream that could end at any moment.

"Fuck, I can't stop crying," Beca muttered into Chloe's neck.

Chloe let out a small laugh, pulling back and looking into her eyes for a moment, before kissing her again. "At least this time it's happy tears, right?" she asked, her hands coming up to frame Beca's face, her thumbs gently wiping her tears away.

Beca smiled weakly and nodded, her hands gripping Chloe's hips as the redhead slowly backpedaled, letting go as she sat down on the couch. Beca leaned down and kissed her again, not prepared for Chloe to grip her shirt and pull her closer. A jolt of lust ran through her as Chloe's tongue teased her lower lip, her hands bracing against the back of the couch as she straddled the redhead.

Pulling back to take a breath, she whispered, "I missed you so much."

Chloe also took the opportunity to catch her breath, her eyes tracing over Beca's face. "I thought of you every day. I wished for this every day," she said, her hand slipping to the back of Beca's neck and pulling her down into another kiss.

Beca was in heaven, and she had no intention of leaving. She pressed closer to Chloe, moving her hands to tangle in her soft, red hair. Chloe deepened the kiss, her other hand sliding under Beca's shirt and over her hip. Beca whimpered as Chloe's tongue teased her own, her hips starting to grind down on the redhead's lap.

"Are you guys okay in...Oh, shit, my bad!"

Beca snapped around to see Stacie looking at them, a half pleased, half guilty expression on her face. Jess and Ashley were behind her a second later, their worried expressions turning into knowing grins as they took in the scene.

"I think they're just fine," Jess said, her grin growing wider by the second.

A full smile also appeared on Stacie's face as she asked, "So, is it safe to assume you guys worked it out?"

Beca smirked, her tone holding a touch of annoyance as she replied, "I don't think we've quite finished...working it out, yet." She glanced back at the heated expression Chloe was giving her, standing up and helping the redhead to her feet. "Yeah, uh, we're just gonna go finish...working it out," she said hastily, grabbing Chloe's hand and leading her towards the back exit.

Jess rolled her eyes, calling after them, "So we'll see you next year?"

Beca threw up a middle finger over her shoulder, hearing them all laugh in the distance. She quickly navigated through the back hallway and out the door into the street where her car was waiting.

"Isaac Chloe, Chloe Isaac," she said quickly as he opened the door with raised eyebrows.

Beca ignored his look, letting Chloe slide inside the backseat first with a cheerful "Hello," before following. She held up a finger at the redhead's impatient look, waiting for Isaac to circle around to the driver's seat.

"Where to, Miss Mitchell?" Isaac asked politely.

Beca scrunched her nose up at that, rolling her eyes at Chloe's smirk. "Isaac, we've been over this. We're going home."

He nodded, his eyes flashing in the rearview mirror. "Sorry, Becs. I wasn't sure, since you've got company."

Chloe's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "She doesn't have company often?"

"Never," Isaac replied, pulling away from the club.

"Thank you, Isaac," Beca cut in, slightly exasperated.

Chloe looked over at her, and Beca took another moment to appreciate just how beautiful the redhead was. She could hardly believe Chloe was here with her, never imagining this would have happened in a million years.

Beca suddenly felt nervous, but she knew she needed to hear Chloe say the words. "There was never anyone else, was there?" she asked hesitantly.

Chloe looked at her for a moment, before replying, "No. No one but you."

Beca felt the emotions hit her again, all the months of pain and heartache were for nothing. A lie, something that they could have avoided.

"I can't believe you said that," Beca said, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice. She wasn't prepared for the pain in Chloe's voice when she responded.

"I can't believe you believed it. That you honestly thought I could move on so easily from what we had."

Beca had no response for that, a part of her realizing she should have known better.

After a moment, she said, "And if I had fought harder?"

Chloe sighed, answering, "I would have done whatever it took. I'm not proud of it, but you were being stubborn as hell."

Beca chuckled, nodding her agreement. "I was. I was so in love with you…"

"And now?" Chloe asked, looking up into those deep blue eyes.

Beca reached out to take her hand, tugging an unresisting Chloe into her lap. She let her hands drift to Chloe's hips and leaned up to kiss her.

Pulling back, she murmured, "Now, I'm a successful recording artist and DJ. I'm not the same person anymore Chlo, but I'll always love you."

Chloe reconnected their lips, cradling Beca's face and kissing her passionately. Beca moaned as Chloe's hips rocked against her, the redhead taking the opportunity to slide her tongue over Beca's. The kiss turned even more heated as Beca's hands started to roam over Chloe's sides and back, sliding around and up to cup her breasts through her dress.

Chloe's hands moved behind Beca's head to grip her hair, her lips moving to the brunette's neck. Beca gasped in a breath as Chloe nipped at her skin, her hands roughly massaging Chloe's breasts through the fabric. Her left hand drifted down to Chloe's thigh as her hips started to rock faster, letting her fingers slide up bare skin.

Chloe fused their lips together at her touch, lifting up to slide her legs a little farther apart to give the brunette more room. Beca groaned as her fingers brushed against damp lace, feeling how wet Chloe was for her already.

Beca breathed heavily against Chloe's lips, muttering, "Fuck, Chlo, you're so wet…"

Chloe moved her lips to Beca's ear, dropping her hips down against Beca's probing fingers. "Touch me, Becs. God, I've waited a year for you to fucking touch me."

Beca was incredibly turned on, completely enveloped in Chloe's body and scent and presence. She felt like she was dreaming, except she knew that it was real. She could feel Chloe pressed solidly against her, her lips fluttering below her ear. She'd dreamed of this for months, but it didn't hold a candle to the actual moment now that it had arrived.

Just as Beca started to press her fingertips between Chloe's legs, a cough from the front of the car pulled them both out of their haze. Chloe pulled back immediately, and Beca looked up into her flushed face to see her eyes dark with lust.

Isaac's voice drew her attention. "Uh, Beca, we're here."

Beca glanced outside to see her building, and quickly pulled Chloe's dress back into place. She opened the door before Isaac could exit the driver's seat, climbing out and offering Chloe her hand.

Leaning back inside, she said, "Thanks a lot, Isaac. Take the day off tomorrow, okay?"

He glanced back at her and nodded, shooting her a smile as she shut the door. Turning to Chloe, Beca smirked and led her up to the building, the night doorman recognizing her instantly and opening the door for them.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Beca kissed Chloe, pinning her to the wall with her hips. The redhead moaned as Beca let her hands roam under her dress, cupping her ass and pulling her tighter against her hips. Their tongues battled as they kissed furiously, the passion and pent-up lust getting the better of them. Beca was about a second away from ripping Chloe's dress off when the elevator dinged that they'd arrived at her floor.

Beca spun them around, pushing Chloe onto the small landing without breaking the kiss. Chloe surprised her by spinning them again, pushing Beca against the wall beside the single door. Beca moaned as Chloe's hands made quick work of the buttons on her plaid shirt, slipping inside the open halves to grope her breasts.

"Oh…fuck…" Beca muttered, letting her head fall back against the wall as Chloe's mouth lowered to press hot kisses against her chest through the thin tank top.

"As hot as this is," Chloe breathed, leaning back and catching her breath. "I want you in bed."

Beca nodded, pushing Chloe back a couple steps as she sucked in a few deep breaths. She moved to unlock the door, hesitating when she realized Chloe didn't know about Zeus. Spinning back around, she shot the redhead a hesitant look.

"So, uh, I don't exactly live alone," Beca started, looking into Chloe's eyes. "How do you feel about dogs?"

Chloe broke into a grin, asking excitedly, "Becs, did you get a fur baby?!"

Beca rolled her eyes and unlocking the door to her apartment. She should have known that would be Chloe's reaction. She went on autopilot as she stepped inside, flipped on the light, and hung her keys up on the hook. Like clockwork, she heart the patter of Zeus' feet coming towards her and felt Chloe's presence behind her as the door shut.

"Hey big guy!" Beca greeted him happily as he jumped up into her arms for his customary hug. "I brought you a new friend."

Beca let him drop back to the ground and stepped aside so Chloe could get a good look at him. "Chlo, this is Zeus, my main man."

Chloe squealed, immediately crouching down to the dog's height, causing his black tail to wag furiously back and forth. "Becs, he's adorable! And huge! He's bigger than you are!"

Beca felt her heart swell as Zeus licked Chloe's cheek while she rubbed his head and chest. She fell a little more in love with the redhead in that moment, without the woman even knowing just how important Zeus was to her.

After a few minutes, Beca said, "I've gotta run him outside real quick. Feel free to have a look around."

Chloe nodded as she grabbed the leash and attached it to Zeus' collar, tugging the door open and exiting the apartment. Thankfully, Zeus didn't need much time, and they were back within ten minutes. She hung the leash back up, while Zeus trotted off down the hallway towards the bedroom, spotting Chloe looking around her living room. Beca slowly approached her, realizing Chloe was looking at the few photographs she had on the wall and mantel of her fake fireplace.

Coming up behind her, Beca slipped her arms around Chloe's waist, whispering a soft, "Hey" into the back of her shoulder.

Chloe spun around in her arms, and Beca couldn't miss the sadness in her eyes. "You don't have any pictures of us."

Beca leaned up and pressed her lips to Chloe's. "We'll have to change that. If you want."

Chloe kissed her back, replying, "If you want."

Beca took a deep breath, her gaze turning determined. "Chlo, I meant it when I said I've changed. I'm not the same person I was when I left San Diego. This has been the craziest year of my life, but it hasn't been the best it could be because I couldn't share it with you. I missed you; I missed us every single day. I'm not saying this will be easy, but I can't lose you again. I'll do whatever it takes…even long distance. I want to be with you."

Beca swallowed hard at the tears in Chloe's eyes, finally asking, "Chlo, will you be my girlfriend….again?"

Chloe leaned in quickly kissing her firmly, her body pressed tightly against Beca's. "Yes," she finally whispered, pulling away to break into a grin. "I knew you were a romantic, Mitchell."

"Don't ruin it," Beca muttered, leaning up and reattaching their lips.

Beca pulled back and led Chloe down the hallway to her bedroom, spotting Zeus curled up in his usual spot. Chloe shot her a raised eyebrow, causing her to break out into a low chuckle.

"He's not going to like this," Beca said, moving over to the bed. "Zeus, down," she said, her tone commanding and firm, but not overly loud.

Zeus' head popped up, before he hopped down off the bed and looked up at Beca. She scratched behind his ears before pointing at the door. "Sorry, bud. You get to sleep on the couch tonight. Out."

Zeus stared at her for a long moment, before trudging out of the bedroom, his nails clicking down the hardwood floor of the hallway.

Beca shut the door, turning back around to find Chloe with her hands over her mouth. "What?" she asked curiously.

"That was pathetic," Chloe said, her eyes on the door.

Beca smirked as she replied, "Yeah, he's mastered that. He only has to sleep on the couch when Stacie visits, so….almost never. He's spoiled."

Chloe grinned, stepping closer into Beca's personal space. "You're such a softy, Becs. I bet you spoil him like crazy."

"Of course I do," Beca scoffed. "He's all I have here. And I'm all he has."

Chloe read between the lines, understanding what Beca meant. "I'll never be able to apologize enough for what I said."

Beca shook her head, cutting Chloe off. "I never asked you to. I know why you said what you did, and I also know why you said it. I should never have put you in that position, and I need to thank you for having the courage to do it. You were all right, I needed to sign the contract and come here. It was the best thing for me, and I truly believe we could have made it work. I'm the one who should be sorry, Chlo. I'm so sorry…"

Chloe shut her up with a kiss, her lips insistent as they moved against Beca's. Pulling back and resting her forehead against the brunette's, Chloe whispered, "I didn't come here for apologies. It's in the past, and all I care about right now is getting you out of those clothes, and showing you just how much I missed you."

Beca swallowed hard at her words, her eyes roaming down over Chloe's body, accentuated perfectly by her dress. Wordlessly, she slipped behind the redhead, slowly dragging the zipper down to reveal the bare skin of her back. Beca pressed her lips against Chloe's back, gently moving the dress down until it dropped to pool at her feet, leaving the redhead in only a white, lacy thong.

Beca thought she might die at the sight, her eyes roaming over Chloe's ass as her hands moved up to cup her breasts. Chloe moaned at her touch, pressing back into Beca's body as her fingertips teased over her nipples. Beca pressed kisses along Chloe's shoulder, reveling in the sounds her girlfriend was making.

Chloe grew impatient, spinning around in Beca's arms and capturing her lips in a slow kiss that grew more and more heated. Her hands tugged at Beca's clothes and slowly stripped her, taking her time to savor the moment. Beca let Chloe push her back onto her bed, unable to take her eyes off the gorgeous redhead in front of her. Chloe inched her panties down her thighs, keeping Beca's eyes locked on her the whole time. She couldn't look away even if she wanted to, her gaze roaming over Chloe's bare breasts and toned stomach.

Before Beca realized what was happening, Chloe was straddling her hips and kissing her again. She felt Chloe's arousal low on her stomach, moaning as her girlfriend slid lower to rub against her clit.

Heat was flooding her veins, and Beca was powerless as Chloe pinned her to the bed. It had been so long since she'd been intimate with anyone, and Chloe was pushing all her buttons at an embarrassingly fast pace.

"Chlo…" she gasped weakly as the redhead captured a nipple between her lips, swirling her tongue around it mercilessly.

Chloe shifted up, kissing her lips again before murmuring, "Let me love you, Becs."

It was all Beca could do to keep breathing when Chloe slid down between her legs, licking over her clit with slow, purposeful strokes of her tongue. She knew she was moaning and gasping with each breath, but all Beca could focus on was how fucking amazing it felt to have Chloe touch her again.

Curses spilled from her lips when Chloe slipped a finger inside her, followed quickly by a second. Her tongue flicked faster against Beca's clit, and the brunette's hips were thrusting shamelessly against her girlfriend's fingers and mouth. She could feel the pleasure coiling inside her, building and building with Chloe's slow and steady pace. Beca reached down to slide her fingers through red hair, knowing she was so close.

"Fuck…Chlo, I'm….I'm…" Beca trailed off as the pleasure exploded through her body, her legs closing tightly around Chloe's head as her body spasmed. Chloe's tongue worked over her clit as she came down, eventually pushing her head away, her body too sensitive and unable to take anymore.

Chloe's lips worked their way up her body as she panted heavily, her body feeling like lead, until Beca was looking up into clear blue eyes.

"I love you so fucking much," Beca mumbled, pulling her down into a kiss.

Chloe chuckled against her lips, replying, "I think that's the amazing sex talking."

Beca winked at her, sitting up and sliding her hands around to Chloe's ass. "Maybe…" she trailed off, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses over her girlfriend's breasts. Chloe moaned into her ear, and Beca slipped her left hand around to press gently against the redhead's clit.

Chloe bucked against her fingers, her arms wrapping tightly around Beca's neck as she slid a finger inside her.

Beca smirked as Chloe's hips started to move, loving the feeling of the redhead grinding down against her. "Mmm, babe you're so hot when you ride my fingers," Beca murmured, her voice hot and low in Chloe's ear.

The resulting whimper let Beca know just how turned on Chloe was, and she added a second finger. She knew how much Chloe loved it when she talked dirty, and decided to push the redhead a little further.

"Chlo, you're so sexy like this. Sliding up and down in my lap…my fingers so deep inside you…"

Beca pressed her thumb to Chloe's clit, hearing her breathing shorten into quick whimpers as her hips abandoned their smooth movement for a faster, jerkier motion.

"Yeah, babe, I can tell you're close. I've missed this so much. I've missed touching you…fucking you. God I've missed you, Chlo."

Chloe moaned louder at her words, and Beca sped up her fingers, her other arm wrapping protectively around her girlfriend's waist for support.

"I've got you, babe. I'm so in love with you," Beca whispered, her thumb rubbing harder against Chloe's clit.

Those words proved to be Chloe's undoing as she came crashing down with a loud cry of Beca's name, clinging tightly to the brunette's neck. Beca slowed her movements as she came down, placing soft kisses over Chloe's neck and shoulder. She wasn't finished though, her arousal coursing through her after watching Chloe come undone.

Beca quickly flipped them so Chloe was on her back and settled between her legs, only taking a moment to find the right position where their clits rubbed together. She looked down into Chloe's eyes, slightly glazed over with pleasure and started to swivel her hips in a steady rhythm.

Chloe pulled her down into a short kiss, before breaking away to suck in a deep breath. "I love you too, Becs," she gasped, new shots of pleasure hitting her with each swivel of Beca's hips.

Beca groaned and started to move faster, feeling Chloe rock with her and match her rhythm. They worked together, sweat eventually coating their bodies as the tension grew. Beca lowered her forehead to Chloe's shoulder, gasps mixing with moans as Chloe gripped her ass and pulled her down firmly as they rode out their orgasms together. Beca had never felt so connected to Chloe, and she collapsed against the redhead's chest with tears in her eyes, murmuring, "I love you" into damp skin.

After a few minutes, their breathing returned to normal, and Beca slowly raised her head to look down into Chloe's eyes. Finding nothing but love, she pressed her lips against her girlfriend's, kissing her softly over and over.

"I love you," Chloe whispered, her fingers stroking idle patterns over Beca's back. "I never thought…"

Beca silenced her with another kiss, replying, "Me either. But here we are. Never lie to me again, Beale. Even if it's for my own good."

Chloe shook her head, smiling up at the brunette. "I promise, Becs. Never again. God, I missed you."

Beca reached up to slide a strand of hair behind Chloe's ear. "I missed you, too. You know, I feel invincible when I'm with you. Like I can do anything."

Chloe's eyes turned mischievous as she asked, "Anything, huh? Got plans tomorrow?"

"You mean we're not staying in bed all day?" Beca asked, her tone hopeful.

"I wish, but I have plans, baby. Since you feel up for anything, though, you can come with me," Chloe offered, laying back against the pillow.

Beca looked down at her curiously, asking, "What plans?"

"I'm meeting my mom for lunch," Chloe answered innocently, though her eyes were studying Beca's reaction carefully.

Beca's eyes widened as she sat up, straddling her girlfriend's hips again. "You…you really want me to meet your mom? We literally just got back together…she probably hates me for leaving you, and I…"

Chloe grinned affectionately at Beca's rambling, before quickly shutting her up with a kiss. "Breathe, baby," she said, chuckling as she laid back down. "It was only an offer. You'll have plenty of chances to meet her over the summer."

Beca was just about to agree to lunch when she remember she'd already made plans with Stacie, shooting Chloe an apologetic look. "I totally forgot I'm taking Stace to BMR tomorrow. Rain check?

Chloe nodded immediately, answering, "Rain check. We should probably spend some time together just the two of us before I unleash my crazy mother on you. Besides, I have you for the whole summer. How long is Stacie staying?"

Beca thought for a moment, replying, "A week and some change, I think. I can't remember the exact dates. But I agree, I'd like to work on us before we bring family into it. Deal?"

Chloe leaned over, connecting their lips in a slow, sure kiss. "Deal. I'm not going anywhere, Becs, and I'm not going to push you away again."

The moment was broken by a high-pitched whine coming from the hallway. Both women turned to look at the door, hearing the sound again, followed by a light rattling of the doorknob. Beca rolled her eyes and turned to glance at Chloe, who had a hopeful look on her face.

"You want me to let him in, don't you?" Beca asked, already climbing off the bed.

"I mean, only a little bit," Chloe answered, her smile widening as Beca opened a drawer and tossed her a pair of shorts and a tank top.

Beca shook her head, replying, "And by a little bit, you mean every fiber of your being?"

"Totes," Chloe said happily, pulling on the clothes as Beca tugged a pair of pajama pants up her legs.

Beca threw on a tank top as well, before walking over the door and looking back to make sure Chloe was dressed. She froze for a moment at the look in Chloe's eyes, glancing down to see the pajama pants riding low on her hips, not having bothered to tie the drawstring.

"You okay there, Beale?" she asked, smirking at her girlfriend.

Chloe just nodded, her eyes moving up to the tight tank top that did nothing to hide the generous swells of her breasts.

Beca laughed, pointing a finger at her as she warned, "No sex with Zeus on the bed. He'll think it's a game or something, and his nails are fucking sharp."

At Chloe's nod, she opened the door, Zeus not waiting for an invitation as he shot into the room and jumped on the bed. After nosing around for a minute, he stood looking at Chloe who was currently occupying his usual spot.

Beca crawled into bed beside her girlfriend, and pointed to the end of the bed. "Sorry bud, but you're gonna have to adjust."

He looked at them for a long moment, before apparently deciding that the end of the bed was better than off the bed, and flopped down near Beca's feet.

"Such a drama queen, that one," Beca quipped, reaching over to turn the light out.

Chloe immediately snuggled up behind her, and Beca's breath hitched at the feeling of Chloe's breasts pressing into her back, the redhead's hips cradling her own. She felt Chloe's breath hot on the back of her neck, her lips pressed fleetingly against her skin before Chloe whispered a quick, "Goodnight, baby."

Beca sighed happily, feeling for the first time in a long, long time that she was really going to be okay, falling asleep in a matter of seconds wrapped in the arms of the one she loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Thanks again for all the support! Let me know whatcha think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Apologies for the delay on this one. I was planning to post it last week, but my sinuses took over my face for a few days there. Not fun. Still recovering, but since I can breathe now I figured it was time to get back to the grind!
> 
> The response to this story has been awesome. You all rock.

* * *

 

It was amazing how dramatically things changed in just twenty-four short hours. Beca mused over the previous day and night as she strolled casually along the street, letting Zeus stop and sniff at various trees and cracks in the sidewalk. She had convinced herself she was doing okay, despite still constantly thinking of the redhead. It was only now that Chloe was back in her life that Beca could see just how unhappy she'd really been. Choosing not to dwell on that, her thoughts turned to their night together, her cheeks flushing at the memory of Chloe moving rhythmically in her lap.

It had been incredible to wake up with Chloe still wrapped around her, only taking a moment to remember the events of the previous night. Beca wasn't used to waking up next to someone else, but she knew she would adjust quickly if it meant having Chloe back in her life. At the same time, there was still a lot of hurt built up at the things Chloe had said, and how they'd left things a year ago. As happy as Beca was that they had made up, she knew there were still a lot of things to work through if they were going to make it. On a positive note, she realized Chloe would be here for at least a few months, and found herself hopeful that they could rebuild the strong relationship they once had. Feeling a tug on the leash, she stopped and glanced back at Zeus as he thoroughly investigated a weed growing out of a crack in the sidewalk.

"Come on, Zeus," Beca said, spinning them around to head back inside.

She chuckled at his hesitation, before obediently changing direction and lowering his nose back to the ground. Beca had been unsure about caring for him at first, and decided that the responsible thing to do would be to sign up for obedience classes at the local pet store. It turned out that Zeus was extremely well trained already, and the classes were much more for her benefit than his. It made her sad all over again, to know that someone had put the effort into training him only to dump him off like garbage.

Beca smiled at Paul as he opened the door for them, discreetly slipping Zeus a small treat as they approached.

"Morning, Paul," she said, pausing to let the man rub the dog's ears, just the way he liked it.

"Good morning, Miss Mitchell...and Zeus, of course." It was his standard response, one she heard like clockwork every time she was home to take Zeus for his morning walk.

A minute later they stepped off the elevator, Beca not bothering to bring her keys since she'd left the door unlocked knowing was Chloe asleep inside. The security was extremely tight, and it was one of the perks she liked most about living in the building. No one was allowed in the door without prior approval, a special keycard was required to use the elevator, and each card was only able to access a single floor. Beca hesitated at the door, a moment of doubt rushing through her at the thought that Chloe might not be there, that maybe she'd changed her mind.

"Only one way to find out," Beca muttered to herself, pushing the door open and following Zeus inside.

Beca hung the leash back up on the hook and fed Zeus breakfast. She headed down the hallway, relief flooding her when she heard Chloe's voice drifting out of her bedroom. Beca paused in the open doorway as she took in the sight of the redhead perched on the bed with her phone pressed against her ear, warmth spreading through her body as she met Chloe's eyes, her girlfriend immediately breaking into a wide smile.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you when I got in..." Chloe trailed off, rolling her eyes playfully at Beca.

"Of course we're still on for lunch today."

"No, I'm not bringing anyone. Why would you...Oh my God! You knew?!" Chloe's eyes were wide in disbelief, her voice rising a little higher than normal.

Beca bit her lip as she heard high-pitched noises coming from the phone, Chloe cringing a little bit and moving it slightly away from her ear before her jaw dropped in surprise.

"Seriously? Did everyone know about this but me?"

"Oh, well that makes me feel a little better."

Beca was finding it incredibly amusing to listen to one side of Chloe's conversation with her mother, snickering at her girlfriend's facial expressions.

Chloe seemed to have had enough of Beca laughing at her, because she said, "I gotta go, mom. I'll see you soon. Love ya!" Hanging up the phone a few seconds later, Chloe rose from the bed.

"Morning," Beca said, her eyes drawn to Chloe's breasts, more than a little exposed in the small, borrowed tank top.

Chloe giggled, her finger pushing Beca's chin up so that their eyes met. "Morning," she said, her voice dropping lower as she connected their lips.

Beca slipped her hands to Chloe's hips, reveling in the feeling of the redhead's lips on hers. She didn't know how she'd survived the past year without being able to kiss Chloe every single day, but was determined to make up for lost time.

Chloe pulled away, saying, "I got your note. Did you guys have a good walk?"

"Mm hmm," Beca nodded, her fingers teasing the bare skin of Chloe's sides, left exposed by the skimpy pajamas. "How's your mom?"

Chloe huffed, answering, "She knew about this whole thing! Apparently Jess kept her in the loop."

Beca raised her eyebrows, replying, "I think I'm gonna want to hear this. Come on, I'll cook breakfast."

She led Chloe to the kitchen, opening the fridge as her girlfriend slid onto one of the stools behind the bar-style countertop. Pulling out eggs and bacon, Beca set to work as Chloe told her what Stacie, Jess, and Ashley had confessed last night.

 

* * *

 

_(Flashback)_

_Chloe raised her eyebrows as they approached the club, people lined up on either side of the door hoping to get in. She fell a step behind Jess and Ashley as they approached the front of the line, very aware of the looks being sent their way, and focused her stare on Jess' back to avoid making eye contact. Ashley stepped forward and said something into the bouncer's ear, shooting her a comforting smile over her shoulder while he checked for their names._

_"Relax, Chlo. We took care of everything." Jess' voice in her ear calmed her down as the bouncer shot Ashley a smile and opened the door for them to walk through._

_Chloe immediately felt nervous again, wondering for a moment why she agreed to all this in the first place. Beca hated her. There was no way she would give Chloe the time of day to explain, and she didn't blame the brunette one bit. The things she had said to convince Beca to go were horrible. She could scarcely believe the words had come out of her mouth, and felt ashamed even a year later for ever uttering them._

_Chloe followed her friends silently as they wound their way through the club to the VIP area, where she was stunned to see Stacie relaxing with an attractive guy dressed in jeans and a white button down, drink in hand. The surprises for the evening were only beginning when the brunette set her drink down and rose from the couch, giving Jess and Ashley warm hugs before looking tentatively at her._

_"Hey," Stacie said, having to raise her voice a little over the loud music._

_Chloe decided she'd had enough of being in the dark. "Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?"_

_The other three women exchanged nervous glances, and the man took it upon himself to break the silence._

_"Hi. You must be Chloe. I'm Scotty, Beca's manager," he said, extending his hand with a friendly smile._

_'Beca has a manager?' Chloe thought, letting that occupy her mind for a minute as she shook his hand. He took pity at the confused look on her face and continued speaking._

_"Why don't you sit down," he offered, gesturing to the couch. "Can I get you something to drink?"_

_Finally, a good idea. Chloe wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew without a doubt that she was never going to make it through the night sober. "Vodka cranberry," she said, quickly adding a "Thank you!" as he nodded and turned to Jess and Ashley, escorting them to the bar._

_Stacie sat down beside her, picking her drink back up and took a sip. "Thanks for coming, Chloe."_

_Chloe regarded her for a moment, replying, "I didn't have much of a choice. Will you tell me what the hell is going on? How do you guys even know each other?"_

_Stacie looked up as Jess and Ashley returned from the bar, sitting down in the chairs next to the couch and placing their drinks on the glass coffee table between them. Scotty appeared and handed Chloe a glass, which she accepted it gratefully, ignoring the straw and taking a gulp before looking expectantly at her friends._

_After a few more nervous glances, Stacie began speaking. "Well, since this whole idea was mine, I guess I'll try to explain. Remember when I visited you the day Beca left?" she asked, the question directed at Chloe._

_Chloe nodded. Of course she remembered. That day was seared into her memory, despite how many times she wished she could forget it. That was the day Beca left. The day she let the love of her life leave believing that she was a cheater and that she'd never loved her. It was one of the worst days of Chloe's life._

_"Well, I had every intention of yelling at you and letting you know exactly what I thought of you. Then I saw you. It only took a second for everything to make sense in my head. I'd had a really hard time believing you would cheat on Beca. I should have known better. Anyways, I felt so guilty after I left. It was my fault, for asking you to convince her to go. I shouldn't have put you in that position, Chloe. I felt like if I hadn't said anything to you, things would have been different. I wanted to try to fix my mistake, since Jess and Ashley didn't know Beca well enough to get her to listen."_

_Stacie knocked back the rest of her drink, her expression determined as she pressed on. "So I found Jess' email on the Vanderbilt website and contacted her. I explained who I was, and asked if she and Ashley could try to keep an eye on Beca."_

_Chloe looked at Jess, who nodded. "She asked me if Ashley and I could try and befriend Beca, since she didn't know anyone here, and isn't very trusting or outgoing. She also said she knew you lied, and that even though Beca was heartbroken, she honestly thought you two belonged together. Stacie was pretty confident that she could get Beca to listen...we just had to be patient and wait for the right time."_

_This was all extremely overwhelming for Chloe, and she shook her head disbelievingly, wondering just how long the three of them had been plotting this._

_Stacie picked up the story, saying, "Right, so we just waited and tried to be there for you guys. When Jess told me you were going to spend summer break here, I knew this was our chance. Long story short, I convinced Jess and Ashley to get you to the club tonight because I knew Beca was spinning. Scotty helped us out by shutting down the VIP access list to only us. Beca has to do a VIP meet and greet after every show as part of her contract," she explained._

_Chloe smiled at that, knowing how much the brunette probably hated it._

_"Chloe, I'm really sorry for everything that happened last year," Stacie said sincerely. "I know that Beca still loves you, and we all just want to see you guys back together and happy again...if that's something you still want?"_

_Chloe hesitated, trying to process all that information in a short time. She still didn't believe that Beca would forgive her, and felt like this would end with an embarrassing rejection._

_"It doesn't matter what I want," Chloe said slowly, shifting her gaze around the room to look at each one of them._

_Stacie shook her head, asking again, "Do you still love her? I can get her to listen, Chloe. I can explain it to her, and she'll understand."_

_Chloe felt the hope fill her chest, tears hot behind her eyes as she asked, "How? How are you so sure she'll listen?"_

_"Because she wants to. Deep down, she wants more than anything for this all to have an explanation. She still loves you," Stacie said simply._

_Ashley nodded, speaking for the first time since they sat down. "Chlo, you know Jess and I would never do anything to cause you more pain. I've talked to Beca enough throughout this past year to know that she still loves you. I honestly believe you guys can make it through this."_

_Chloe hated them all in that moment, as the hope blossomed within her. How many times had she played the 'what if' game over the past twelve-ish months? Hope was the real killer; the one that allowed you to hold on to something that would never be because of the slimmest chance you could have it._

_The three women exchanged nervous glances as Chloe remained silent, thinking carefully over her answer. This was it, the chance she'd been praying for. She had the opportunity to try and fix things with Beca, and here she was, acting like a total idiot instead of following her heart and answering immediately._

_"Yes," Chloe breathed, looking up at Stacie. "I'm still in love with her, and I still want to be with her."_

_Stacie grinned, replying, "Just leave it to me. I'll take care of the angry DJ."_

_Chloe pushed down the nerves, and spent the next few hours catching up with Jess and Ashley, and even venturing out onto the dance floor for a few songs. Beca at work was a sight to behold, and Chloe could see her up in the booth, eyes bright and intense as she seamlessly mixed tracks together, fading in and out without missing a beat. She was good and the club loved her, people cheering and shouting her name whenever a particularly good mix came on._

_When her set ended, Chloe was seated nervously on the couch with Jess and Ashley, waiting for her to appear. Jess distracted her with a story from the last time she and Ashley went to a local open mic night, laughing loudly when all three of them sensed Beca's presence._

_Chloe stood up, feeling Jess and Ashley do the same on either side, her breath catching in her throat as she locked eyes with Beca. Any chance of her not having feelings for the brunette was cleared up instantly, falling in love with her all over again on sight. She was just as gorgeous as Chloe remembered, though her hair was a little longer, and she found herself frozen as she stared into those stormy, dark blue eyes._

_Suddenly, the moment was over. Beca spun around quickly and fled, with Stacie hot on her heels calling her name. Chloe looked nervously over at Jess, saying, "I knew it." She collapsed back onto the couch, tears pouring down her cheeks as Jess wrapped her arms around her._

_"Shh, Chloe, it's going to be fine. Stacie promised to take care of it, and she will," Jess murmured, her hand rubbing comfortingly over her back._

_It took her a few minutes to calm down, Ashley offering her a tissue to wipe her eyes._

_Jess sighed, a smile teasing the corners of her mouth as she asked, "Chlo, how do you not own waterproof mascara by now?"_

_Chloe laughed, only shrugging in response. Jess pulled a small mirror out of her purse and she wiped most of the black smudges away. Realizing how long it'd been since Beca had left, she had the sudden urge to go back to Jess' apartment and drown herself in ice cream and chick flicks._

_"She left, Jess. She doesn't want to see me, and I don't blame her. I just want to go, okay?" Chloe said, completely defeated, all the hope from earlier in the night only making her crash and burn harder._

_Jess hesitated, looking over at Ashley. It turned out to be just enough time as Beca rounded the corner again, slower and more hesitant this time. Chloe froze again as Jess and Ashley quickly vanished to leave them alone, her heart soaring just knowing that Beca came back. Sending a million 'thank you's' Stacie's way, Chloe stood up, her hope renewed as for the first time, she felt there was a chance Beca could forgive her._

 

* * *

 

Beca set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of Chloe, moving around to sit on the stool beside her. She was having a difficult time believing their friends had plotted all this behind their backs, and was even more curious to know what Chloe thought of it all.

"Are you mad at them?" Chloe asked, looking at her curiously.

Beca looked back into her eyes, losing herself for a moment. She sighed, shaking her head no. "Not really, just trying to process everything. I didn't exactly wake up yesterday and think today I'd be sitting here with you."

Chloe nodded, saying, "I know what you mean. Definitely not how I thought the summer was going to start, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy about the turn of events. I really missed you, Becs."

"I missed you, too," Beca said, rounding the bar to go pour them both cups of coffee. She returned to her seat, letting the fingers of her right hand lock with Chloe's.

"Mmm, that's convenient," Chloe murmured, giving her hand a squeeze.

Beca laughed and agreed with her. "Yeah, lucky I'm left-handed and you're right handed. We fit together."

They finished breakfast in comfortable silence, Beca's thumb rubbing gentle circles along the back of Chloe's hand. She took the dishes to the sink, rinsing them off and sticking them into the dishwasher. Grabbing the dirty pans off the stove, she placed them in the sink, looking across the island at Chloe.

"When are you meeting your mom?"

Chloe took a sip of coffee, answering, "Noon at some restaurant downtown. She's really excited to hear about last night. Apparently Jess gave her a heads up that we might get back together."

Beca nodded, quickly washing the pans and setting them in the drying rack next to the sink. Before she could respond, there was a loud knock at the door. Beca spun around to look at it, not expecting anyone.

"Who the hell did they let in?" she muttered, Zeus hot on her heels as she looked through the peephole. "Ohh," she breathed, breaking into a grin as she undid the locks and flung the door open to reveal Stacie, accompanied by a suitcase and a large tote bag.

"What the hell is all this?" Beca asked, looking at the bags curiously.

Chloe squealed happily from behind her. "My stuff! Stacie, you're a lifesaver. I had no idea what I was going to wear to lunch today."

Stacie dragged the bags inside, Zeus taking his time to sniff each one. "No problem, Chloe. I figured you'd want your stuff. Also, I want my stuff," she added, breezing past them and heading into the bedroom.

"Becs, you forgot to put your clothes away after Chloe took them off last night. Also, you can thank me anytime for forcing you to wear your sexy underwear instead of the batman boy shorts you tried to put on."

Beca blushed as Stacie's voice drifted down the hallway, pointedly ignoring the way Chloe's eyebrows rose curiously. Stacie came back into view, rolling her single suitcase behind her with a smaller tote thrown over one shoulder.

"As much as I love you, Becs, Jess offered me the spare room at their apartment. I thought that'd be a safer option since you two are gonna be sexing it up everywhere here," she said, her tone matter of fact as she exchanged a wink with Chloe.

Beca immediately protested, "No way. Stace, come on. You're only here for a week! You're staying here with me."

Stacie looked hesitantly at Chloe, but Beca cut in before either could speak, frowning slightly. "Stace, you can take that stuff back to my room, or the guest room…wherever. Can you give us a minute? Want to shower or something?"

Stacie nodded, answering, "Uh, sure. I could use a shower." The leggy brunette disappeared down the hallway, Zeus trailing curiously behind her.

Beca turned to look at Chloe, immediately noticing the nervous look on her face. She took a deep breath, saying, "Chlo, I don't think you should stay here."

Chloe's face fell. "I thought...Becs, I thought we were okay..."

"We are," Beca said quickly, trying to figure out the right words. "It's just...you lied to me, Chloe. And I know why you did it, and I know it was hard for you, but I've heard those words in my head every day since I left. This morning when I was coming back from walking Zeus, I wondered for a second if you would still be here, or if you'd gone. I can't just undo the past year of thinking you played me and dumped me in the worst way possible."

Beca looked up to see Chloe's eyes filled with tears, and realized how this sounded. "I want to be with you, Chlo. I love you...I always have. But...I need to take it slow. It was just words for you, but for me it was real. It was rejection, and thinking that the one person I trusted enough to let in didn't give a shit about me in the end."

Chloe nodded, wiping a few tears away. "I understand, Becs. We can go at whatever pace you want. I love you so much, and I'll do whatever it takes. I'm so sorry."

Beca stepped closer and hugged Chloe tightly, needing to feel close to the redhead. "I think you should stay with Jess or your parents, or whatever you had planned," Beca said, taking a step back. "And I want to take you out...on a date. We never got to have a real first date before," she finished with a smile, feeling relieved to see Chloe give her one in return.

"That sounds great," Chloe replied, her voice a little thick with emotion. "I'd like that. And you're right, I'll stay with my parents like I planned."

The patter of Zeus' feet on the hardwood floor made them both turn their heads towards the hallway, Stacie cautiously walking towards them a few steps behind the dog.

"Everything okay in here?" Stacie asked, still using a towel to dry her wet hair.

Beca smiled, slipping her arm around Chloe's waist. "Yeah, we're good. We owe you guys a pretty big thank you."

Chloe relaxed at Beca's touch, her smile widening a bit as she said, "Yeah, I really can't thank you enough, Stacie."

Beca added quickly, "And you're not going anywhere, Conrad. Chloe's gonna stay with her parents. Apparently, her mom has really missed her."

Chloe rolled her eyes and gave Beca a light shove, moving to pet Zeus who was now curled up in his doggy bed in the corner. "Is your mom always so mean?"

Beca sighed, shaking her head as she sat back down at the bar, a smile on her face. Thinking for a moment, she said, "We've got a few hours before you need to leave to meet your mom. Do you guys want to take Zeus to the dog park so he can play? I've been too busy to take him lately, and he could use the exercise."

Chloe twisted around to look at the dog lying down peacefully on the floor. "Are you sure he wants to go? He looks half asleep."

Beca smirked, rounding the corner to look at him. She kept her voice casual as she asked, "Hey, Zeus...wanna go play?"

The large dog shot up off the floor and instantly sprinted to where his leash hung by the door, wagging his tail so hard his whole butt wiggled back and forth. Beca couldn't suppress her laughter at Chloe's shock, her girlfriend clearly not expecting that reaction. She waited too long to acknowledge Zeus, who gave a loud bark when neither of them moved to follow through on Beca's words.

"Okay, okay, dude. I'm coming," Beca said, still laughing as she grabbed the leash and clipped it to his collar. "Going to join us, Stace?"

Stacie smirked at the pair of them before shaking her head no. "I'll pass this time. We're still on for our lunch date and tour of BMR, right?"

Beca nodded, answering, "Of course. Got it all planned out."

She watched Stacie pull her phone out and call someone, slipping quietly out onto the balcony and closing the door behind her. Glancing over at Chloe, Beca asked, "You want to go? We can always do something else before you have to leave."

Chloe couldn't help but smile at the dog's excitement. "No way! Not after you got him all riled up. Just let me just go change," she said, dragging a bag down the hallway to the bedroom.

Beca leaned down and rubbed behind Zeus' ears, grinning as he looked happily back up at her. "Do you like her?" she asked, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he turned his head to lick her fingers. "Me too, dude...me too."

 

* * *

 

Beca followed Stacie out of the restaurant, the pair deciding to walk to the label instead of hailing a cab. Stacie had told her all about her freshman year at Stanford, brimming with excitement at the memory of her time on campus. Beca was thrilled for her, knowing that Stacie had wanted to go there more than anything, and was happy that she was having such a good time. They fell into step walking casually down the street, taking in the beautiful summer weather.

"We're okay, right Becs?" Stacie asked, glancing at the shorter girl.

Beca nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, we're good. Even though you royally screwed up."

Stacie sighed, looking out across the street. "I know. I'm sorry for saying anything to Chloe. It wasn't my place."

"Yeah, the two of you made a giant mess of the whole situation, but I didn't help much either," Beca admitted. "None of this would have happened if I had made the right decision on my own. Chloe and I would have at least tried the long distance thing, and we could have made it. If things go well this summer, we might find out."

Stacie replied, "Yeah...do you want to talk about what happened earlier?"

Beca shrugged, glancing at the sign before turning down a different street. "We're back together. I'm happy about that, don't get me wrong, but...I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"Try," Stacie encouraged, nudging her shoulder gently. "Might help to talk it out."

Beca frowned, trying to gather her thoughts. "It's like, half of me is so happy. It's like nothing changed, and we're back together and in love and it's great. But the other half..." she paused, taking a deep breath. "She really hurt me, Stace. I trusted her completely, and told her things I've never told anyone, and she used it all against me that night. That's not a feeling that just disappears because she's back and it was all a lie. I felt like shit this whole year because of what she said."

Stacie hummed, letting a minute or so of silence pass before speaking. "That's understandable, Becs. I don't think she expects everything to just go back to the way it was before. Do you?"

"I wish it could," Beca mumbled. "It'd be so much easier."

"But you do want to be with her again, right?" Stacie asked, looking over at her again.

Beca didn't hesitate, nodding her head as she answered, "Of course. It's always been her. Ever since I met her, I couldn't get her out of my mind. I think the difference now is I'm hesitant around her again, like how I was at the beginning."

"Then just go slow. She'll be here all summer. You've got time to rebuild your relationship," Stacie said, becoming distracted by the ice cream shop across the street.

"Yeah, we're taking it slow. I'm gonna take her on a date," Beca informed her with a smile. "You know we've never been on an actual date? Like in public?"

Stacie chuckled, replying, "I'm not surprised. No way you wouldn't have been recognized around home. Where are you taking her?"

Beca sighed, kicking a small pebble into the street. "No idea, but I'll come up with something special."

"You're all rich and famous now. Surely you can sweep the girl off her feet," Stacie joked, earning a jab to the side.

"Do you think that's why she's here now?" Beca asked, suddenly feeling a little anxious. "That's why she changed her mind?"

Stacie's eyebrows rose, and she quickly said, "No Beca, don't even think that for a second. Chloe is the farthest thing from a gold digger. She didn't even know about the club until she got here and Jess picked her up from the airport. She loves you."

Beca wasn't entirely convinced, but decided to let it go. Looking over at her best friend, she asked, "So, how exactly did you guys do it? Chloe told me her version, but there are some major gaps."

Stacie looked a little smug as she answered, "First thing I did was get in touch with Jess right after you left. It was easy to get her email off the Vanderbilt site. Next step was getting in touch with Scotty and waiting for the right moment. Jess had the hardest job of all, and that was to convince Chloe to spend the summer here, or even just come for a visit. Scotty had to make sure you were booked for some type of gig, and then shut down the VIP room for the evening. Then..."

"Wait," Beca said, frowning as she tried to catch up. "Who paid for all the VIP passes? Scotty can't just do that, it all goes back to the label."

Stacie hesitated, and Beca's eyes widened in realization. She smacked Stacie's arm, exclaiming, "Conrad, are you fucking kidding me? Do not tell me that I bought all of the VIP passes to my own show."

Stacie grinned, saying, "Don't worry, you didn't. I paid for mine."

Beca rolled her eyes, grumbling, "You're insane. And I'm gonna have a long talk with Scotty about this. And by that, I mean I'm gonna yell his fucking ears off."

"Aw, Becs, it's not his fault. Besides, wasn't it worth it?" Stacie asked, trying to appeal to Beca's happy side.

Beca glared at her, but stayed silent. "That's not fair," she answered, turning to look straight ahead. "What else did your scheming ass do?"

Stacie laughed, continuing, "Then Jess and Ashley got Chloe to go to the club, where we explained most of this to Chloe and got her on board. You know the rest. Pretty brilliant, actually."

Beca shook her head, still processing this new information. "What if my gig had gotten cancelled? Or Chloe bailed at the last minute?"

Stacie shrugged, replying, "I may or may not have secured you a two week vacation to come visit me at home."

"Ha, that's funny," Beca snorted. "I'm set to start recording my second album in a week. Who would have authorized that?"

"A lovely woman named Gail," Stacie said nonchalantly, as they approached the record label.

Beca's eyebrows rose and she stopped walking, frozen in place. "How the hell did you get Gail to agree to that? You know what, never mind. I don't want to know anymore."

Stacie's expression turned concerned, as she asked, "Are you okay, Becs?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Beca answered, a little overwhelmed at the effort Stacie had gone to for her and Chloe. "Thanks, by the way," she added awkwardly, pausing in front of the door.

"It was the least I could do, since I probably made this whole situation way worse than it should have been. I just want you to be happy, Becs, and she makes you happy," Stacie said, stopping beside the shorter brunette. "You guys have something special...you belong together."

"Only one way to find out," Beca quipped, reaching for the door handle. "For now, one tour, as promised," she said, pushing all thoughts of Chloe away as she opened the door, letting Stacie walk through first.

 

* * *

 

Beca glanced nervously at the door of the small coffee shop, her eyes instantly moving back to her laptop screen. It was the tenth time she'd checked the door in the past two minutes, and she felt ridiculous for feeling so anxious. This was Chloe, not some random blind date, but the butterflies were still very present in her stomach.

"It's just coffee," Beca muttered to herself, taking a slow, deep breath.

It might only be coffee, but it was technically the first time they'd ever been in public together as a couple. Beca had much better ideas for their first date, but the studio had called her in early to record her album due to conflicts with other artists, wreaking havoc with her entire schedule. She'd barely managed to see Stacie during the rest of her visit, and most of that was in the studio. Thankfully, Stacie had understood and loved getting an up close and personal view of Beca at work.

So Beca had finally given up on planning a fun, romantic first date and asked if Chloe could meet her for coffee, escaping the studio for an hour while everyone else grabbed lunch. Now she was comfortably seated in a back corner table working on her latest mashup while she waited, knowing that she'd have time to kill before Chloe arrived. It was one she'd been working on especially for Chloe, and it was almost finished. She had already adjusted the lyrics and was currently working on the music, trying to make it perfect.

Suddenly, her laptop screen lowered a few inches, causing Beca to snap her head up and see her girlfriend smirking at her from across the table. She shot Chloe a smile and saved her progress, before shutting the laptop, stowing it in her bag, and sliding her headphones down to rest around her neck.

"If you're busy, I can go," Chloe offered, her eyes sparkling. "Don't want to interrupt your genius."

Beca laughed, replying, "I'll have you know...I am a genius. Musically, anyways. And no, I was just waiting for you. Can I get you something? I need a refill already."

Chloe nodded. "White Chocolate Mocha," she answered, pulling out her wallet.

"Put your money away, Beale. My treat," Beca said, walking over to the counter.

After placing their order she moved aside to wait, looking back at Chloe still seated at the table, eyes focused down at her phone. Beca almost felt like pinching herself to make sure this wasn't all some elaborate dream, and that the redhead was actually back in her life again. They'd talked and texted a lot over the past week and a half since their night together, but this was the first time Beca had seen Chloe again and she had to remind herself to take it slow. Chloe was even more gorgeous than she remembered, making her heart beat a little faster just looking at her.

A gentle tap on her shoulder caused her to snap her head around, finding herself face to face with two teenage girls.

"Are you Beca Mitchell?" the brunette asked hesitantly, as her blonde friend shifted excitedly beside her.

Beca nodded, giving them a smile. "You found me," she said. "And you two are..."

"I knew it! Oh my God, this is the best day of my life! I'm Hannah, and this is Lori. Can we please have your autograph? And maybe a picture?" The blonde spoke rapid fire, her excitement getting the better of her.

Beca chuckled, answering, "Yeah, of course. Breathe. Do you have a pen?"

The two girls locked eyes, and Beca realized they hadn't quite thought their plan through.

"Beca!" the barista called, sliding two cups up onto the counter.

Beca thought fast, quickly stepping to the counter and asked, "Hey, do you have a sharpie back there I could borrow for a minute?"

The guy nodded, snagging it off the nearby counter and tossed it to her. Beca spun back around and gave the girls another smile, before signing their coffee cups and taking a quick selfie with the pair. She shook her head as they left talking happily, still smiling as she thanked the barista and gave him back the sharpie. Grabbing the two cups, she returned to the corner table sat back down across from Chloe.

"That was adorable," Chloe said, shooting her a smile. "Who knew you were so friendly?"

Beca rolled her eyes, taking a sip of coffee before answering, "The label beat it into me when I pissed off my first fans." She looked up to see the uncertain expression on Chloe's face before saying, "Kidding, Beale. I'm not a monster. Most of them are just kids."

"You're just a kid," Chloe countered, reaching over and smacking Beca's arm lightly.

"Hey! Abuse!" Beca said, pushing back from the table, her smirk still in place. "If I wanted to get beat up, I'd go back to the studio. And I was friendly to you when we first met," she added, recalling the day in front of the school.

Chloe rolled her eyes, retorting, "You barely smiled. It was more of a grimace."

Beca replied without hesitating, "That was my best smile back then. Plus, Posen was yelling at me...I was distracted."

"I thought that was a regular occurrence?" Chloe teased playfully.

Beca opened her mouth, but decided to remain silent and not say anything bad about her former teacher. "Look, she's still your friend right? It's all done with, in the past."

Chloe raised her eyebrows, commenting, "Wow, you really have changed if you're not going to take advantage of an opportunity to take a shot at Aubrey."

She felt Chloe's eyes studying her, feeling the switch in the mood as she inched her chair back to the table. "I wasn't lying when I told you I'm different now. The past year has been...life changing for me. In some ways I'm the same, but in a lot of ways...a lot of things changed."

Chloe leaned forward, reaching across the table to take her hand. "Tell me?"

Beca looked down at their hands, wondering how it could feel so good just to have Chloe touch her in this simple way. It felt perfect and amazing and she instantly pulled away, the panic creeping up her chest before she could stop herself. She instantly regretted it, her eyes moving up to see the hurt look on Chloe's face. It scared her though, how easily it was to fall right back into the comfortable rhythm with the redhead, teasing each other and exchanging quips back and forth.

"I'm sorry," Beca apologized, reaching back and lacing her fingers through her girlfriend's, squeezing briefly as she got used to the feeling again.

Chloe forced a smile back to her face, replying, "It's okay. It's going to take time."

Beca nodded, grateful that Chloe seemed to understand. "I don't want to talk about that right now. We have plenty of time to talk about the past year, and how hard it was for both of us. I've only got a few more minutes before I need to get back, and I want to make the most out of this totally lame first date."

"It's not lame," Chloe said instantly, the smile returning to her face. "We've never been together in public before. I'll remember this little place forever. It's so cute and cozy."

Beca nodded, looking fondly around. "I've spent hours in this very corner working on my mixes, or writing song lyrics. I love it here."

Chloe followed her gaze, taking a sip from her coffee cup. "Tell me about your new album. Anything you feel really excited about?"

"Um, yeah...of course. I wouldn't record anything I didn't feel good about," Beca replied, her expression falling a bit.

"Why don't you look happy, then?" Chloe asked, her voice concerned.

Beca hesitated, looking down at their hands still joined together. "Um...well...Chlo, this album is mainly made up of songs that I wrote over the past year. It's not a very happy album," she confessed, looking nervously across the table. It was one of the reasons why Beca was struggling to figure out where to take Chloe on their date. For the past week Beca had been recording the songs she wrote about how heartbroken she'd been after the breakup.

Chloe sighed, knowing what she meant.

"We can't change the past, but I'm really glad we're trying again, Becs. I missed you," Chloe said sincerely, looking up into those stormy blue eyes.

Beca couldn't look away, her brain barely registering Chloe's thumb rubbing slow circles on the back of her hand. "Me too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I keep wondering if this is all a dream, and that I'll wake up any minute," she added with a laugh.

"I know what you mean," Chloe admitted, shooting a small smile across the table.

Beca shook her head, sitting forward a little in her chair. "I don't want to do this right now. I just want to be happy with you for five minutes before I have to go back."

Chloe beamed at her, before starting to lean forward across the table. "I think...that's a great idea."

Beca watched her, inching forward herself and letting her gaze drop to Chloe's lips. She looked up just in time to see Chloe's eyelashes flutter closed, before shutting her own as their lips connected. Chloe pulled back after a few seconds, leaning in almost immediately to kiss her once more. Beca felt that feeling run through her, that jolt of electricity that she'd experienced the first time they'd ever kissed, and every time after that. It was familiar, and oddly comforting despite making her heart race.

Unfortunately, her phone started vibrating loudly on the table, causing them to split apart suddenly. Beca glanced down at the screen and sighed, picking up the device and swiping her finger over the phone to answer the call.

"Hey, Joey. Yeah, I know. Be there in ten."

Beca hung up the call and looked at Chloe. "That was my producer. I gotta get back."

Chloe nodded, getting to her feet as Beca packed up laptop. "This was fun, Becs. Let's not wait two weeks before we do it again?"

"I know, I'm so sorry. I didn't have a choice if I wanted to record in the next six months," Beca replied, still irritated at the change of plans. "Are you free Saturday?"

Chloe nodded again. "Yeah, I'm free."

Beca smirked. "Good, because I'm taking you on our real first date. Rain or shine."

"Where are we going?" Chloe asked, already curious what the brunette had planned.

"Nope, it's a surprise, Beale. But you'll like it," Beca said, standing up and slipping her bag over her shoulder. She leaned down and planted a firm kiss on Chloe's lips, her hand briefly slipping behind the redhead's neck. "I'll call you later?"

"Sounds good," Chloe said, her voice breathless.

Beca winked at her before grabbing her coffee cup and headed for the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hip Hip Hooray, my beta Ravenclawsome33 is back from her vacation! Cheers to not having to proof my own chapters anymore!! I'd also like to give a massive shoutout to Arsto who has been back and forth over this plot with me more times than I can count, as well as constantly reminding me I know NOTHING about recording music. Thankfully, she does. 
> 
> Thanks to the incredible response to these first few chapters! I'm glad you all seem to be as invested in this little world as I am. 
> 
> Cheers!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The writer's block hit me in full force. Struggling a bit with the beginning of this fic, so thanks for being patient while it takes me a little longer to post new chapters!

* * *

 

Beca pushed open the door to the studio, her messenger bag with her laptop clunking awkwardly against her thigh with each step. They'd just wrapped on recording her new album, and next week would begin the process of turning each track into a polished, finished product. She was excited for that, knowing that if it went well she could possibly transition into the producer role sooner than she'd ever imagined. Teddy had spoken to her before she started recording, just to touch base about how things were going. Beca had enjoyed talking to him, and was encouraged when he mentioned she might not have to put out another album of her own after the first two. It wasn't that Beca didn't like this side of the business, but she had no desire to be in the spotlight all the time, or be on tour for months at a time.

She yawned as she started to walk home, her new apartment only a little more than a mile away. Checking her watch, Beca saw that it was still early back in California, and pulled her phone out. Dialing her parents, she trudged along patiently while it rang.

_"Hello?"_

Beca grinned at Sheila's voice, instantly feeling a little homesick. "Hey stepmonster," she greeted.

_"Hey kid! Hold on, let me get your dad."_

Beca rolled her eyes as the line went silent for a minute, before her dad's voice sounded through the speaker.

_"Becs! How are you? It's been awhile since you last called."_

"Yeah, I know. Sorry about that. The label had me DJing a lot the past few months, and then Stacie was here to visit, and then the label screwed up with bookings so I had to jump in the studio the past few weeks to record my new album," she explained.

 _"You sound tired. Are they pushing you too hard?"_ Ben asked, his voice concerned.

Beca looked around before crossing the street, answering, "No, it's just been long days in the studio. But we got all the recording done, so that's good."

Sheila cut in, asking, _"When is the release date? I can't wait to hear your new music!"_

Beca hesitated. "I'm not sure, it depends on how long it takes to mix and master. Joey feels pretty good about it, though. I'm not sure if you guys will like this one as much...it's a little sadder."

 _"Bec, we know the past year was hard on you...with how you left things here,"_ Ben's voice was the epitome of awkward, and Beca smiled, thankful that some things hadn't changed.

Sheila interrupted him again, asking, _"How are you, really?"_

"Uh, well that's actually what I wanted to talk to you guys about. I have a date tomorrow," Beca started, her eyes going wide at the excitement pouring through the small speaker from her stepmom.

Ben was a little more reserved, asking, _"Who is it?"_

There was a thump on the other end, and Beca remained silent, listening to a hushed conversation between her parents that was just quiet enough to keep her from hearing their words.

Sheila's voice spoke loudly again, saying, _"Don't mind him, kid. He's just back in dad mode. Tell me about her!"_

"So...funny story," Beca started, having no idea how to tell the story and deciding to just spit it out. "It's with Chloe."

Her words were met with silence, until Sheila clarified, _"Chloe, as in, Chloe Beale? The one who cheated on you and broke your heart last year, Chloe?"_

"Yep, that's the one," Beca replied, her voice equal parts cheerful and sarcastic. "Apparently, it was all a giant misunderstanding."

 _"And you believe that?"_ Ben's tone was incredulous, earning himself another swat from Sheila which Beca heard clearly, along with his yelp of pain.

"Yeah, I do," Beca said softly, scuffing her heels along the ground for a few steps. "Turns out, a lot of people in our lives worked really hard to give us this second chance. And I still love her. We never really had a chance to see what it would look like, to be a real couple."

 _"Okay, kid. Tell us what happened,"_ Sheila said, her voice losing it's cool edge and taking on a curious quality.

Beca recounted the whole story, suddenly thankful for the longer walk home. "I've actually only seen her a couple of times since she's been here, because of Stacie's visit and work blowing up in my face. It's not like we're jumping right back in the way it was, but all the feelings are still there. I've missed her like crazy, and I'd be an idiot not to try and make it work."

Ben spoke first, surprising her as he said, _"Becs, I just want you to be happy, and I know that despite all the good things that have happened over the past year, you haven't really been happy, not the way you were those few months with Chloe. I know I wasn't as supportive as I could have been, but I trust you to make the right decision for you. And if that means getting back together with Chloe, then that's what you should do."_

Beca smiled, feeling happier than she had in awhile at her dad's words. It had bothered her a lot that he couldn't accept her relationship with Chloe, even if he had made much more of an effort the short time they were back together.

Sheila's voice broke the moment, and she was again surprised at the words coming through the speaker. _"I'm not so convinced, kid. The whole thing just seems a little off to me. I hope I'm wrong, but be careful, okay?"_

Beca frowned, but knew that Sheila had a point. Despite the way they got back together, Beca had already been hesitant of moving things along too quickly, and she knew that Sheila was only looking out for her.

"I know. We haven't been moving too fast," she said, turning the corner to see her building come into view, not ready for Sheila's retort.

_"Oh, okay, so you two didn't rip each other's clothes off the first chance you got?"_

_"And that's my cue,"_ Ben said immediately, and Beca heard a click signaling he had hung up, Sheila's chuckling still sounding in her ear.

_"Spill, kid. I already know you did, so just fess up."_

Beca felt heat flood her cheeks, but refused to indulge her stepmother. "I have no idea what you're talking about, stepmonster. I'm home now, and I gotta go see Zeus. This has been super fun. Love you!"

She hung up quickly as the approached the door, shoving the phone back into her pocket as it opened for her. There was a small rotation of doormen, and she'd learned them all as quickly as they learned her. All were former military and doubled as the security team for the building, contracted from a private company to keep the high profile residents safe.

"Miss Mitchell," the tall man said politely, giving her a wink as she passed by.

"Thanks, Omar," she said, giving the man a fist bump before making her way to the elevator.

* * *

Beca gripped the rope tightly with both hands, her feet planted firmly as she stared down her opponent. Zeus' eyes were bright with the challenge as his feet scrabbled for purchase on the hardwood floor, trying to pull back a few feet to find the living room rug.

"Oh no you don't, you devil," Beca muttered as the dog gave the rope an experimental tug, trying to jerk it out of her hands, knowing that he'd have the upper hand if he made it to stable footing.

She shook the rope from side to side, trying not to laugh at the way his head shook and ears flopped as he held on. Tug of war was one of Zeus' favorite games, and Beca was always the one to give in first, her arms feelings like jell-o by the time it was over. She knew Chloe would be arriving soon for their date, and decided to try and tire the dog out a little since they'd be gone for a while.

Knowing they were currently at a stalemate, she turned her voice serious and said, "Zeus, sit."

The dog immediately sat down and let the rope drop from his mouth, knowing full well how this worked by now. Beca flung the rope down the single hallway, grinning as Zeus took off like a shot after it, trotting proudly back past her with his prize to lay down on the rug and gnaw at one of the knots. Beca gave him the victory for a minute, before snatching the free end and starting the war all over again.

Zeus was on his feet instantly, growling playfully as he tried to free his toy. Beca rolled her eyes and growled back at him. She knew she shouldn't egg him on, but he rarely made any noise at all and she couldn't resist teasing him a bit. Beca gave up after a couple of minutes, letting Zeus have the rope for good and collapsing onto the couch. He stood still with the rope still dangling from his mouth, looking up at her as if to ask why they were done already.

"I have an important date tonight, bud. I can't be all tired and sweaty when she gets here," Beca said, reaching out to rub his head.

He dropped the rope and moved closer to her, pressing against her legs as she continued to scratch behind his ears. Beca loved these moments with the dog, the way he seemed to completely understand when she just needed a calming presence.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous," she said out loud, chuckling as he nosed at her hand when she stopped petting him. "I just kinda love her, you know? And this is our first date, and I want it to go well."

Pausing for a moment, she looked hesitantly down at him and asked, "Am I too easy if I put out on the first date?"

Zeus stared at her, his brown eyes not blinking.

Beca huffed and shoved his face lightly to the side. "Yeah, okay, I get it. I don't need your judgement."

Feeling a little anxious, she grabbed his rope and dangled it in front of his face, letting the tassel on the end annoy him until he grabbed hold and started pulling. They'd been at it for a few minutes when a knock on the door almost caused her to let go.

"It's open," Beca called, refusing to lose the battle now when she was so close to winning. Zeus had managed to drag her onto the rug, and she grimaced at the damage his nails were inflicting.

"This looks like fun," Chloe's voice said from behind her.

Beca whipped the rope back and forth again, trying to dislodge Zeus' grip. "It's war," she answered, laughing at Zeus' growl and sharp tug of his own.

Chloe's arms slipped around her waist from behind, saying in her ear, "Looks like a stalemate to me."

Beca dropped the rope at her girlfriend's touch, shivering slightly at how close together they were. Straightening up, she turned about to face Chloe.

"I'll take the loss," she said, leaning in and giving the redhead a quick kiss.

Beca pulled away before it could get too heated, aided by Zeus who decided now was the appropriate time to greet Chloe. She smiled as her girlfriend crouched down to pet the dog, moving over to grab the tickets off the counter.

"Ready?" Beca asked, checking her watch looking back over at her girlfriend.

Chloe nodded, standing up as she asked, "Am I dressed okay?"

Beca let her eyes roam over the tight jeans and flowy blue top with the slight v-neck that showed a hint of cleavage, murmuring, "Mm hmm. You look stunning, as always."

Chloe blushed, stepping closer and replying, "You look pretty good yourself. You sure you don't just want to stay in?"

Beca struggled to focus as Chloe toyed with the hem of her plaid shirt. She quickly opened the door, stepping to the side and held it open, shaking her head. "I'm sure, Beale. I've been waiting two years to take you on a date, and you're not gonna distract me now."

Chloe laughed as she exited the apartment, Beca taking a deep breath to calm herself before following and locking the door.

* * *

"Now will you tell me where we're going? Is it far away?" Chloe asked curiously, glancing out the window at the buildings passing by.

"It's not far from my place," Beca answered, keeping her eyes on the redhead and grinning at her confused look.

"Then why did you have Isaac pick us up? Couldn't we have walked?"

Beca shrugged. "I suppose, but it would take a while and it's hot out. I kinda wanted to talk to you about something first." At Chloe's silence, she continued, "So, uh, I didn't want to assume anything between us. I know we're back together, but there are other things to consider now."

Chloe asked, "Like what? I'm not following you, Becs."

"Well, I'm uh...people care about what I do now, and what I say...and who I date," Beca said awkwardly, looking down at her hands.

Chloe frowned, her tone a little sharper when she replied, "And you don't want people to know about us?"

Beca's eyes widened, realizing she'd screwed this up already. "No! No, of course not, Chlo. Fuck, I suck at these talks. I meant that I want to leave it up to you. How public we are...I didn't know if you'd want your picture in the tabloids or people making shit up about you. I'm kinda used to it by now, but I wasn't just going to throw you into that world without a little warning. It'll probably happen regardless of what we say..." she trailed off, knowing the media didn't have a problem fabricating stories about her love life.

Chloe remained silent, thinking over what Beca had said. "And if I want to go completely public, and tell everyone we're dating?"

Beca couldn't help the grin that spread across her lips at the thought. "Then that's what we'll do. Is that what you want?"

"What would the alternative be?" Chloe asked, a little hesitant as she thought about what that would really mean.

Beca hummed for a moment, before replying, "I would say we were friends publicly. You wouldn't have to say anything, and then we would tell the people we trust about our relationship. It might get leaked eventually, but it would keep the heat off you for at least a little while. Less likely to be stalked by paparazzi, or get jealous hate tweets from all the people who want to marry me," she finished with a wink.

Chloe rolled her eyes at that, retorting, "Just how many people want to marry you, Mitchell?"

"I've gotten at least a hundred twitter marriage proposals," Beca answered, frowning at the thought. "I mostly leave my social media stuff to Scotty. The number of notifications scares me enough not to open the apps." Looking up at the shocked look on Chloe's face, she smirked and said, "What, Beale? I've got random stalkers all over the world who want to marry me."

"Only because they haven't met you," Chloe mumbled loudly enough for her to hear.

Beca's eyes widened in fake offense, her voice indignant as she said, "I'll have you know that I've gotten much nicer since we first met."

"Really?"

"No, but it sounded good," Beca snorted. "Anyways, I'll go with whatever you want to do, Chlo."

Chloe thought for a minute, before answering, "I'm done hiding our relationship, Becs. I'm in this with you, all the way. I don't care if the whole world knows...which apparently, it will."

Beca grinned happily, unable to resist leaning over and pressing her lips against Chloe's. It was what she'd been hoping Chloe would decide, but actually hearing the words was better than she could have imagined. She much preferred those words to the ones Chloe had spat at her a year ago, and pulled back to hear them once more.

"Say it again," Beca whispered against Chloe's lips, her hands cupping the redhead's cheeks.

Chloe leaned her forehead against Beca's, saying, "I want everyone to know you're mine. I love you, and I don't want to hide..."

Beca cut her off with another kiss, tugging against the seat belt to press closer to her girlfriend. "I love you, too," she murmured, finally pulling back and locking her fingers with Chloe's.

After a minute of comfortable silence, Chloe asked tentatively, "Now will you finally tell me where we're going?"

Beca chuckled, saying loudly, "Isaac!"

After pulling out his earbuds, he answered, "What's up, DJ?"

"We're ready," Beca said cryptically, watching as he nodded and made a quick turn. Facing Chloe again, she said, "There's this festival thing going on at Public Square Park called Taste of Music City. There will be food, drinks, and live music. I thought it might be fun to do together, plus it combines three of my favorite things."

Beca was sure Chloe's smile could brighten the entire world, as she said, "That sounds incredible!"

It wasn't more than another minute or two before Isaac pulled up to the curb. He exited the car and circled around to open the door. Beca slid out smoothly, giving him a fist bump as Chloe followed.

"Thanks, Isaac," Beca said, smiling as she felt Chloe's fingers tangle with her own. "You and your family all set?"

He nodded, answering, "Yeah, thanks again. The girls are really looking forward to it."

Beca replied, "Great. Enjoy! We can walk home from here. It's supposed to be a nice night."

They said goodbye and watched Isaac drive away, before Chloe asked, "What did you get him?"

"Backstage passes to some country concert for him and his two daughters," Beca answered with a shrug.

Chloe beamed at her, leaning close to whisper, "You can try to act all indifferent, but I already know you're a softy at heart. It was sweet of you to do that for him."

Beca rolled her eyes, mumbling, "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Beale. Isaac literally has my life in his hands all the time, so it's better to stay on his good side." Changing the subject, she finally took a look around at the park. "Anyways, this looks amazing. Ready to check it out?"

At Chloe's excited nod, they approached the entrance and Beca handed over the tickets. They both received wristbands, although Beca's was a different color since she wasn't old enough to drink. As they entered the park, which was really more of an open square area, they took in all the different tents popped showing off their culinary specialties. It really was a beautiful setting, with a large grassy area inside a paved circle that overlooked the river. The smells wafting from the tents was already starting to make Beca's mouth water as they comfortably strolled along, stopping first at the tent of a local brewery to get a drink.

"I keep forgetting you can't drink," Chloe commented after they'd moved away, sipping her beer and glancing at the bottle of water the brunette was holding.

Beca shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the fact. "I don't drink much, anyways. Why give the press more material to make up shit about me. I have some stuff at home, but drinking alone is kinda depressing."

Chloe asked, "Is it hard? Seeing the rumors and stories and knowing they aren't true?"

"Some are funny," Beca said with a laugh. "Like, they're so insane all I can do is laugh. Some piss me off, but I can't do much about it. I try to ignore them as much as possible, but it's getting harder and harder."

"Were any of them true?" Chloe's voice was hesitant, bordering on insecure.

Beca stopped walking, turning to look at her curiously as her lips curled into a familiar smirk. "Were you stalking me in gossip magazines, Beale?" she accused playfully.

Chloe's denial was immediate as she looked away from Beca's eyes at the closest tent. "No! Of course not. Maybe once," she finally admitted.

Beca chuckled at her, before shaking her head. "I don't think so. None of the dating ones, anyways. See, I was kinda hung up on my ex."

Chloe turned to face her, saying, "Sounds tough. How are you doing now?"

"Definitely still hung up on her," Beca replied, letting out an exaggerated sigh and looking down before reconnecting their eyes. "Lucky for me...she gave me a second chance."

"She sounds like a keeper," Chloe said, her mouth curling into a smile.

Beca couldn't resist leaning in and pressing a kiss to Chloe's lips, whispering, "I'd be crazy to let her go twice."

"I think she feels the same way..." Chloe trailed off, initiating another kiss.

Beca felt impossibly good at the feeling of the redhead's lips on her own, Chloe's free hand gripping her hip and creating a feeling of security that Beca had longed for, ever since they broke up. Not wanting to lose control in such a public place, Beca slowly pulled back again and laced her fingers with Chloe's.

"You probably know a lot of these places better than I do," Beca said, swiftly changing the subject. "Anything in particular I can't live without trying?"

Chloe glanced around at the different restaurant signs before spotting one of her favorite barbecue places. "How do you feel about pulled pork?" she asked, already tugging Beca in the direction of the tent.

"I'm feeling pretty positive about any food right about now," Beca grinned. "I've eaten a lot of catering and a lot of takeout since I've lived here. Either been out of town or too exhausted to cook much."

Chloe turned to her as they joined the line for pulled pork sliders, excitedly asking, "What was it like? I want to know all about the label and performing!"

Beca thought back to when she first arrived in Tennessee, remembering how tough those first few weeks were. It got easier, but the progress was slow. She'd been immeasurably grateful that work had kept her so busy she hadn't had a lot of time to be depressed over Chloe.

"It was hard," she said, figuring that was as good a place as any. "The label was super demanding with my time...as in all of it. I was sort of thrust into everything all at once, but it was good. I learned so much, and I got to start working with Joey almost immediately. I hammered out a single with my new songwriters and was in the booth recording after a couple weeks. After that caught on, I got the green light on the album. Working on that, combined with DJing commitments...I barely had time to think about anything but sleeping."

Beca glanced around, not wanting to draw attention to herself as she continued, "After the album dropped, things really got crazy. The label insisted I hire a permanent agent, and made a few other...suggestions." Her tone made it clear that they were more demands and less suggestions. "It was overwhelming for a while. You know me...it was an adjustment to learn how to handle all the attention. I'm still learning, but I'm getting better at being put on the spot."

The line moved quickly, and she broke off suddenly as they approached the table manned by a woman with a cheerful smile. She grabbed the two plates and offered them, her eyes widening as she made eye contact with Beca.

"Oh my God! Beca Mitchell! I love your music!" She exclaimed as she handed over the plates.

Beca returned the smile, glancing down at the slider and saying politely, "Thanks so much. This looks amazing."

Before they could turn and allow the next people to be served, the woman quickly asked, "Would you mind taking a quick photo! No one will ever believe me..."

Beca glanced at Chloe, who smiled and said, "Go ahead, it's fine."

"Oh, you too, sweetie! The more the merrier!" the woman exclaimed happily, motioning one of her coworkers to take a quick photo.

Beca smile was only a little bit forced as the woman thanked them again. She could tell the people in line were starting to wonder what the hold up was, and already recognized the looks of realization on the faces nearest the front. She led Chloe quickly away from the tent, stopping under a tree a short distance away.

"Hey, are you okay?" Chloe asked, coming to a stop beside her.

Beca nodded, her eyes darting around the park for a moment. "Yeah, I'm fine, I just...I miss being nobody sometimes," she admitted, leaning up against the tree. "Anyways, I'm super excited to try this slider. It smells incredible."

Chloe grinned, setting her drink down on the ground as she replied, "This place is one of my favorites. You'll love it."

Beca followed suit before biting off half of the small sandwich, closing her eyes at how good it was. Quickly popping the second half in her mouth, she chewed happily on the smokey pulled pork with red onions and a rich barbecue sauce.

"Mmmm, I could go for about ten more of those," she said, reaching down and picking her bottle of water up off the ground.

"Oh, I know. So good," Chloe replied, licking some extra sauce off her fingers.

Beca froze for a moment watching her, her mind wandering into inappropriate territory.

"What?" Chloe asked, a little nervous. "Do I have something on my face?"

Beca blushed and shook her head, mumbling, "No...it's nothing."

Realization dawned on Chloe's face and she grinned, taking a step closer. "You sure?" she asked, her voice dropping a little lower as she slipped her arm around Beca's waist.

Beca couldn't resist briefly dropping her gaze to Chloe's chest, before forcing herself to look back up into her girlfriend's eyes. "You're terrible," she said, sounding more frustrated than she intended.

Chloe leaned in and kissed her cheek, answering, "You started it."

"Ugh, I know," Beca retorted, spinning away and taking a long drink of water. "I can't help it. You're just so hot."

"I know," Chloe replied confidently, her smile teasing as Beca's eyes roamed once more.

Beca shook her head, declaring, "Enough! It's our first date, Beale. We're taking it slow."

Chloe laughed, grabbing her drink and moving back to Beca's side. "No problem. We can walk slowly back to your place tonight," she said with a wink.

Beca stayed silent as that produced a whole new round of images in her brain, lingering on the ones where Chloe was significantly less dressed than she was currently. Shaking her head at how quickly she transformed into a teenage boy around her girlfriend, she forced herself back into the moment where Chloe was dressed and they were in public.

"Come on, Beale. I'm still hungry," she changed the subject, grabbing their empty plates and tossing them into a nearby trash can.

As they walked towards another tent, Beca asked, "How are things back at Barden? Why'd you decide to come here for the summer?"

Chloe hesitated, looking around for a minute before starting to speak. "Barden is good. I had another great year there, and really enjoyed all my new students. It was nice not being the new teacher..." she trailed off.

Beca glanced over at her, noticing a sad look briefly crossing her girlfriend's face. "Chlo...it was hard for me. I know it was hard for you too. We don't have to dive all the way in right now, but you don't have to hide it from me either."

Chloe gave her a tight smile. "I struggled. There was a lot of guilt and regret and it was all my fault. I didn't have anyone to blame but myself. Jess kept telling me to get away and come back here for the summer. We could hang out and I could spend time with my family...and try to get over you."

Beca nodded, staying silent as she reached out and took Chloe's hand.

"I mean, the whole getting over you part isn't working out so well," Chloe joked, bringing a smile back to Beca's face. "But the spending time with Jess and my family part is going great."

"Can't say I'm too upset about that," Beca chuckled, spotting a tent advertising ribs and leading Chloe to the end of the line.

Chloe agreed, "Me either. It really has been great to be home. I missed my family more than I realized."

"That's awesome, Chlo. Have they all been around?" Beca asked curiously.

"No, but they will be for July fourth," Chloe answered excitedly. "My brothers and my dad always put on this crazy fireworks show out on a nearby lake. You should totes come! It's pretty legen-wait for it-dary."

Beca rolled her eyes, replying, "You think you can just use How I Met Your Mother references to distract me from the whole...meeting your family part?"

"Depends...did it work?"

"I mean...yes, but that's not the point," Beca said, her voice exasperated. "You can't go throwing around things like 'legendary fireworks shows' and expect me to just pass that up."

Chloe clapped her hands excitedly. "Yes, I can! So you'll come?"

Beca nodded, answering, "Yeah, of course. I can't think of a better way to spend the holiday than with you."

Chloe leaned in kissing her, taking her a little off guard, pulling away before she could respond. Beca could tell that it was the right answer, as Chloe pressed closer to her as they inched forward towards the serving table.

They made their way around to almost all of the food tables, having fun trying the bite-sized portions from the different restaurants. The band was pretty good, playing a lot of upbeat songs that kept the mood happy. Beca was thrilled to finally get to spend time with Chloe, keeping the conversation light as they strolled around the square. This was a new aspect of their relationship, one that they'd never experienced before, and Beca was determined to make the most of not having to hide anymore. It felt fucking amazing, and she couldn't get enough of the moments when Chloe would take her hand, or brush a kiss against her cheek, not caring if anyone saw them.

As the sun started to set, Beca led Chloe over towards the river, looking out over the peaceful water. They walked out on the bridge, finding a secluded spot to lean against the railing.

Before Beca could say anything, someone sidled up beside her, saying, "Well, if it isn't Beca Mitchell. Got time for a few questions?"

Beca frowned, turning to look at the man next to her who was looking out over the water. Recognizing him instantly, she let out an exaggerated sigh, ignoring his question and turned back to Chloe.

"These vultures never respect anyone's personal space. They just pop up all over the fucking place and never give you a moment's peace," she said, gesturing out over the water with a hand.

"Aw, Becs, don't be like that. I'm just trying to use your personal life to put the next meal on the table," the guy said, his tone light and only a shade sarcastic.

Beca laughed, shaking her head as she turned back to him. "Don't you ever wish you had something better to do, Ian?"

The man looked up at the sky thoughtfully, before shaking his head. "Nah, this is my life's dream. I spent four years majoring in journalism at Columbia so I could stalk celebrities. So please give me something to work with? Pretty please?"

"Three questions...only because I like you," Beca offered. "No photos," she added, pointing a finger at the camera that hung loosely around his neck.

"Five?" he asked hopefully, backing down when she narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine, fine, three it is. Who's your friend? She's gorgeous. Hi, I'm Ian. You're gorgeous," he introduced himself with a smile, holding out a hand to Chloe.

Beca pushed his hand away, replying, "Stop hitting on my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" he asked excitedly, producing a small notepad from his pocket and scribbling something down. "That's new," he commented, looking back up at her. "Too much to ask for a name, I'm guessing. That was rhetorical!" he added, cutting Beca off before she could respond.

"How's the new album coming along? Got a release date for me?"

Beca shook her head. "Sorry, dude. We just wrapped laying down the tracks, but have a lot of work left to do in the studio. Probably a few months out, at least."

Ian nodded, writing down a few more notes, before looking back at her, a gleam in his eye that Beca wasn't entirely comfortable with.

"Care to comment on rumors circulating that you'll be joining Rascal Flatts on tour next month?"

Beca's eyes widened in surprise, wondering how that bit of information had been leaked so quickly. She knew her silence had given away the truth behind the rumors, and realized she had to do some fast damage control. The label wasn't planning to announce the news until Monday.

"Now, Ian. I'd think if I was going on tour...I'd know about it. As of now, my summer plans are finishing my album and getting to spend some much needed down time with friends and family," she said diplomatically, glancing over and catching the curious look on Chloe's face.

"Uh huh...my ass," he mumbled, shooting her a knowing look. "One more?" he asked, his voice hopeful once again.

Beca shook her head no, answering, "A deal's a deal. Go write your story."

Ian held his hands up innocently, saying, "Can't blame me for trying. You two look great together. Sure you don't want to give me a name?" At Beca's glare, he laughed, saying, "Okay, okay, I'm going. It was fun, as always, Becs. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Beca rolled her eyes at his retreating back, feeling Chloe's arm slip around her waist.

"That wasn't so bad," Chloe said, smiling as Beca turned to look at her.

"He's one of the few I tolerate. Probably because he's as sarcastic as I am," Beca laughed. "He's really respectful, just a little eager. Kind of like a persistent puppy. Good guy, though."

Chloe asked curiously, "What's he doing working for tabloids if he graduated from Columbia?"

Beca shrugged, glancing briefly in the direction he disappeared in. "No idea. You can ask him the next time he stalks us down."

"Maybe I will," Chloe responded, looking back towards the square. "Come on, I want to dance with you before the band calls it a night."

"You want me to dance in public? Are you trying to completely kill my image, Beale?" Beca groaned, only slightly resisting Chloe as the redhead tugged her back down the bridge toward the music. She checked her watch and knew that there was only about thirty minutes left before the event ended, deciding that a dance or two couldn't hurt. Especially if Chloe would be pressed close against her.

Chloe led her to the surprisingly large group of people dancing in front of the stage, capturing Beca's full attention when she started to move to the music. Admittedly, there were much worse things than dancing with Chloe, and Beca gave in and danced for a few songs. She'd gotten a lot better over the past year, as the people at BMR almost had a heart attack the first time they saw her dance. The result was immediately setting her up with a choreographer and lessons, knowing that she'd have to dance and perform on stage the minute her single dropped. She wasn't on Nick's level, by any means, but thankfully she could hold her own without making a complete fool out of herself.

Chloe noticed the change, leaning in close to her ear, saying, "You've been practicing. You were way more awkward than this when we used to dance in my apartment."

Beca grinned, replying, "Yeah, but those were my favorite dances. Now, I can do this in public, though..." she trailed off as she spun halfway around, pressing back against her girlfriend, feeling Chloe's hands drop immediately to her hips.

"True," Chloe murmured, her lips brushing Beca's neck. "But you probably shouldn't."

"You're probably right," Beca responded, but Chloe's grip tightened as she moved to step away. Turning her head to the side, she asked, "You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go," Chloe answered, lacing her fingers with Beca's and leading the way out of the park.

It was a beautiful night for a walk, but all Beca could focus on was the lingering glances that Chloe kept shooting her way, and the way Chloe's thumb was rubbing over the inside of her palm. She'd begun the night in the firm opinion that Chloe wouldn't spend the night, but her resolve was quickly crumbling with every brush of her girlfriend's thumb.

'Keep it in your pants, Mitchell,' she thought, not wanting to ruin their night by moving too quickly. Sure they had already slept together a few weeks ago, but Beca really wanted to do this right. She wanted their relationship to be about more than just sex, and wanted to show Chloe that she was ready for something serious. She also wanted the reassurance that Chloe was as invested in their relationship as she was, and that the redhead wasn't going to bail again.

As they approached her building, Beca looked hesitantly over at Chloe, asking, "Want to come up for a little bit? Have coffee or something and talk?"

Chloe smiled, answering, "Sounds perfect."

Beca nodded, leading the way up to the door and giving Omar a fist bump before entering the building. They got inside the elevator, and Beca swiped her keycard before pushing the button to her floor. She thought back to the last time they were inside this elevator together, biting gently on her lower lip at the memory and wondering briefly if Chloe was thinking the same thing.

As the elevator doors opened, Beca let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in, pulling her keys out and unlocked the door. The familiar sound of Zeus making his way down the hall relaxed her, breaking into a wide grin as he came into view.

"Hey, big guy," Beca said affectionately, holding back a laugh at his slow, sleepy walk to greet her.

Zeus wiggled his way between the two women, demanding attention from both as he curiously nosed around their legs.

"There are probably some awesome smells on my jeans," Beca commented, chuckling when he took an extra long sniff around her thigh.

Beca finally straightened up, the smile still on her face as she looked at Chloe and couldn't quite place her expression. "Everything okay?" she asked, walking slowly into the kitchen. "Want something to drink? Coffee, or..." she trailed off as Chloe shook her head.

"I really missed you," Chloe said simply, her eyes shining, almost like she was overwhelmed by the feeling at that moment.

Beca heard the sincerity in Chloe's tone and saw it in her eyes, understanding exactly how she felt. God, she had missed the redhead more than she thought possible. Chloe's words confirmed that she understood exactly how lonely the last year had been, and the overpowering feeling of gratefulness that came with simply spending time together again.

"Like, really missed you, Becs," Chloe continued, walking over and wrapping her arms around the brunette in a tight hug. "I'm so glad we're working things out and trying again, because I missed you like crazy."

Beca hugged her back just a tightly, her heart beating rapidly at having Chloe back in her arms.

"Tonight was amazing," Chloe whispered, her breath lightly tickling Beca's ear.

"Thanks," Beca said breathlessly, more than a little distracted with the redhead pressed flush against her. "I mean, yeah, it was. I'm glad you liked it."

Beca shivered at the first touch of Chloe's lips to her neck, immediately gripping her hips tighter. Her brain was reminding her that they were supposed to be taking it slow, but the way Chloe was trailing kisses along her neck had her pulling the redhead closer.

After a moment, Chloe stopped, dropping her forehead to Beca's shoulder, murmuring, "Sorry...I know we're taking it slow, I just...I missed you."

Beca breathed in slowly, waiting until Chloe looked up at her to press a kiss to her lips, one that quickly grew heated. She pressed a thigh between Chloe's legs, backing her into the fridge as her girlfriend's hands flew to the buttons on her shirt. Beca shrugged out of the shirt, taking a deep breath as Chloe leaned back to pull off her own top. Before Beca could move, Chloe pressed forward, her hands sliding under Beca's thighs, lifting her onto the counter and reclaimed her lips.

Beca's last bit of resistance disappeared when the redhead's bra hit the floor. She never could resist Chloe, and decided it was pointless to try. They both made mistakes in the past, but right now they were together and Beca was going to take advantage of every second they had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to my beta Ravenclawsome33!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed!
> 
> I appreciate all your patience while I get past this writer's block. I'm getting these chapters out as fast as I can!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was just a continuation of my fight with writer's block. Thankfully, I moved past it at the end and am back on track! Thanks for being patient, and look for faster updates now :-).
> 
> This chapter starts with Beca's POV, and switches over to Chloe's about halfway through. Enjoy!
> 
> Music:
> 
> Dancing On My Own - Calum Scott Version

* * *

 

Beca listened carefully as the track played in the small studio, leaning slightly back in her chair. As the song came to an end, she glanced around at the hopeful faces looking back at her.

"It's good, Becs. It's really good," Joey said, his face the only one without a wide grin. "I think this one's done."

Beca was certain the label couldn't have paired her with a better producer. She had clicked with Joseph "Joey" Matthews from the first time they met and discussed her first single. He was incredibly smart, and had been working in the music industry for over twenty years. Beca liked that he knew his stuff, but listened to her ideas and gave her a lot of flexibility with her music. Joey had in turn expressed his surprise at how curious she was about every part of the process, and was happy to patiently go into as much detail as she dared to learn.

Beca nodded, finally breaking into a small smile. "Yeah, I think so too," she agreed, rolling her eyes as a few people sighed in relief.

They'd been working on this track for a few days now, and it was no secret that Beca set extremely high standards for every song she recorded. They were almost finished with the tracks, and then she would discuss with Joey which ones should go on the album before sending the whole thing off to be mastered. Beca yawned and checked her watch, realizing it was time to break for lunch.

"Lunch break?" she asked, looking back at Joey.

He nodded, answering, "Take an hour, and we'll get started on the next one. Not you," he said pointedly at Beca, gesturing for her to stay seated as he saved their progress.

It was Beca's turn to sigh, as she sunk back down in the chair. She knew that he wanted to hear an acoustic version of the next track, but was seriously hoping to grab a coffee from her favorite shop down the street. And maybe squeeze in a call to Chloe, who she hadn't seen nearly enough of in the past two weeks since their date.

Things were still crazy from the press release that she'd be joining Rascal Flatts on their new tour in August, and the label was pressuring her to finish her album before she left. Beca was hardly sleeping between the late nights in the studio and the continued DJ gigs the label booked for her. She couldn't wait to renegotiate her contract, and felt more thankful by the day that Teddy had talked them down to two albums. It was hard to imagine another two or three years like the first.

Joey's voice cut through her thoughts, saying, "Get in the booth. I ordered lunch for us."

Beca nodded, standing up and stretching. "What about coffee? I need coffee."

"It's done. Get in the booth," he said with a smile, pointing at the connecting door.

"You know you're a slave driver, right?" Beca asked sarcastically, shuffling over to the door.

Joey hummed affirmatively, his eyes trained down at his phone.

Beca rolled her eyes and entered the booth, grabbing the guitar and settling down on a stool. She slightly adjusted the mic, and waited for Joey to give her the thumbs up.

"Okay, Becs. Let's slow this one way down. I think the techno, dance vibe will be a nice change of pace in the album, but a slower, acoustic version could add a lot of depth. I'm just curious to see how it goes," he said, looking at her through the glass.

"Yeah, I got it. I've been thinking about it since you suggested going acoustic, and have messed around with it at home," Beca answered, slowly strumming the chorus while he got the sound levels adjusted, thinking back to the time in her home studio.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_Beca was wide awake as she glanced over at Chloe, sleeping soundly in bed beside her. It had been a little more than a week since their date, and things were going really well. They were still working through the hurt that had built up over the past year, but it was getting easier to see the light ahead of them. Beca felt more and more sure of their relationship as time passed, each conversation or brief moment they carved out was bringing them closer to the strong bond they'd once had._

_Beca quietly slid out bed, knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep, pulling on a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. She padded to the end of the hallway and entered her studio, smiling as she heard Zeus' nails clicking down the hardwood floor behind her. Beca waited for him to settle into his bed in the corner before picking up her guitar and perching on a stool. Joey wanted her to work on an acoustic version of her next single, and she'd been putting it off since the song was one she wrote about Chloe after they'd broken up._

_Beca softly strummed the melody, pausing and tweaking notes and chords as she went, humming instead of singing the lyrics. There was a lot of stopping and starting as she played around with it, occasionally chuckling at Zeus when he twitched and growled in his sleep. After about an hour, she was feeling good about the sound, and started to sing along to the chorus._

_I'm in the corner_

_Watching you kiss her_

_Oh oh oh_

_I'm right over here_

_Why can't you see me?_

_Oh oh oh_

_I'm giving it my all_

_But I'm not the girl you're taking home_

_Oh oh oh_

_I keep dancing on my own_

_Beca finished the chorus, trying to push away the growing feelings of sadness at the hurtful memories. It was the main reasons she'd decided to make the song more upbeat, not sure if she wanted to tackle all that came with making it slower and more emotional._

_"When did you write that one?"_

_Beca stopped playing, looking up to see Chloe leaning in the doorway. She stood up and returned the guitar to it's stand, hesitating as Zeus struggled to his feet to greet Chloe._

_"A few months after I moved here," Beca admitted, hating the sad look on Chloe's face._

_"Is it...are you putting it on your new album?" Chloe shifted uncomfortably, reaching down to pet Zeus' head._

_Beca nodded, answering, "Yeah, but the album version is more upbeat. Joey wanted me to experiment with an acoustic version..." she trailed off, unsure if now was the right time to have this conversation. "Want some coffee?"_

_Chloe glanced at the clock on the wall, commenting, "It's three am, Becs. Come back to bed."_

_"Okay," she agreed, watching as Chloe turned back down the hall to the bedroom, Zeus following her like a shadow._

_Beca turned the lights off and closed the door, mumbling under her breath, "Girl's been here four times and he already likes her better than me..."_

* * *

"Becs? Earth to Beca?"

Beca was startled back into the moment at Joey's loud knocking on the glass. "I'm ready," she said quickly, looking over at him.

"We can talk later about where the hell you just went in your head," he replied, rolling his eyes. "It didn't look like a fun place, if that frown is anything to go by."

"It's complicated," Beca answered, trying to regain her focus.

Before she could start playing, the door opened and Joey entered the booth.

"This have anything to do with the smoking hot redhead you were seen with a few weeks ago?" he asked, perching on a stool beside her. At Beca's look, he shrugged, saying, "What? I've got eyes. Is she gonna be a problem?"

"No," Beca answered quickly, though her frown didn't inspire a lot of confidence. "She's my girlfriend. There's some history there. I wrote almost this whole album after we broke up. Now that we're back together, it's a little awkward."

Joey hummed, asking, "Wanna talk about it?"

Beca rolled her eyes, retorting, "No, I don't."

"Thank fucking God," he responded, hopping up off the stool. "Look, it sounds like a raw deal. Just use all that emotional shit to turn this into a sappy, heart-wrenching, chart-topping-for-months single that makes us both a ton of money. Plus, you got her back, so no reason to be sad anymore."

Beca stared at him as he left the booth, giving her a thumbs up after doing one last check. She shook her head and looked down at the guitar, strumming the opening chords and letting the music take over. Beca didn't look up again until she was playing the final notes, her eyes meeting the top of Joey's head as he fiddled with something on the board.

He looked up and signaled for her to stop, his voice coming through the speaker moments later. "Sounds good, but I think you've gotta switch it to piano. It'll take it to another level."

"Just how many levels are we shooting for," Beca grumbled, having avoided the piano for exactly that reason.

Joey laughed, answering, "Beca, you're letting your emotions get the better of you. Tell me you didn't know before the end of the first verse you needed to switch to piano."

Beca remained silent, knowing he was right. She put the guitar back in the stand and rejoined him in the studio, grabbing the bag containing her lunch and settling down onto the couch.

Joey spun in his chair, rolling over to the small coffee table and unpacking his own sandwich.

"If it's too much for you, we'll scratch it and leave it as is," Joey said conversationally, taking a large bite of the sandwich. "But I think you've really got something with this one, and..."

Beca cut him off, snapping, "It's fine. I'll lay down the piano today." At his silence, she sighed and immediately apologized. "I'm sorry...it's just a sore spot for me right now. I'm trying to fix my relationship, and every day working on this album just tears down all the progress I've made. I spend all day remembering how bad it was, and try to wipe it clean when I walk out the door, which isn't going all that well."

"Don't worry about it," Joey said, not seeming to mind her initial irritation. "Have you talked to her about it?"

Beca shook her head. "It's complicated. I think it'd just make things worse. We're trying to move forward, not just rehash the past year of misery."

Joey set his sandwich down, saying, "If you don't deal with all that shit, you'll never get through it. You can only push stuff like that aside for so long before it builds up and explodes."

"I know," Beca said softly, thinking over the times she'd tried and failed to talk with Chloe about the past. Sure, they'd had conversations about the past year, but none that actually centered on the hurt and anger of their breakup.

"On a positive note," Joey continued, his voice cheerful. "You're gonna have enough material for at least two more albums after you work it out and are all happy. Nothing sells like heartbreak turned into a fairy tale romance, even if it is a little hard to picture you getting mushy."

Beca kicked his shin at that remark, scoffing, "I don't get mushy."

He laughed, replying, "I bet you straight up melt. What's her name, anyways?"

"Chloe," Beca answered, ignoring his follow up comment.

"I can't wait to hear some of the other songs you wrote about her," Joey said, picking his sandwich back up. "I bet they're romantic as hell."

* * *

_(Chloe's POV)_

Chloe exited the car, looking up at the giant red letters spelling out COSTCO. Her mom had shopped here for most things as long as Chloe could remember. Trying to keep her brothers fed must have been a full-time job all on its own. She fell into step beside her mother as they entered the store, grabbing a cart as Grace looked over the savings booklet before pulling out her shopping list.

Chloe chuckled as her mom studied the piece of paper, leaning patiently on the handlebar of the cart for her to get her bearings.

"I heard that," Grace said, swiftly looking her in the eye. "We'll see who's laughing after I show Beca all your baby pictures tomorrow."

The laughter died in her throat, and Chloe's eyes went wide. "No way," she argued as her mother marched off through the store. Hurrying to catch up, she said, "You can't. We're finally doing better. At least give me a month before you completely embarrass me in front of my girlfriend."

Grace rolled her eyes, replying, "What's the point of having children if I don't get to embarrass them? Isn't that the sign of good parenting?"

"I think it's that you raised respectable human beings," Chloe answered casually, as her mother studied the list again.

Grace shook her head, saying, "No, I don't think that's right. Condiments are this way," she motioned, starting down an aisle.

Chloe raised her eyebrows as Grace threw several multi-packs into the cart, asking, "Just how much ketchup do you think we'll need? Or relish?"

"I never underestimate your brothers," Grace answered distractedly, "Or your father, for that matter. He's liable to invite every client in the area."

"Wait a second. How many people are coming to this? I thought it was just family," Chloe interrupted, feeling a little worried that Beca might be overwhelmed. Grace didn't answer, and Chloe quickly followed her around the corner to the next aisle.

"Mom..." she trailed off, a hint of warning in her voice. "How many people did you invite?"

Grace waved her hand nonchalantly, answering, "Oh, no more than the usual. Your brothers will all be there, except Will. He got assigned a case and couldn't make it work. But the twins arrive tonight, and Ollie said he's bringing Megan!" she finished excitedly, turning to look at Chloe. "I'm hoping he'll finally propose."

Chloe shook her head. "Mom, do not get your hopes up. He has said over and over he's not ready. Plus, he and Ev just got their match."

"That girl has the patience of a saint," Grace muttered, turning back to her list. "Almost ten years and no ring. Absurd..."

"They're living together," Chloe countered, moving up beside her mother. "And you've already got an adorable grandchild. What more do you want?"

Grace narrowed her eyes, making Chloe backtrack a step. "My son to put a ring on it and not string that poor girl along. She's wonderful and he knows it. Only God knows what he's waiting for..." she trailed off, piling hamburger and hot dog buns in the cart.

"A better question is how he and Ev are going to cope with being separated for the first time ever," Chloe commented, as they continued through the store and strolled down the aisle with chips and cookies.

Chloe recalled the day earlier that year when her brothers had gotten matched with a residency program, and was stunned to hear they'd be on opposite sides of the country. She was happy to discover that Oliver would be at UCLA, which was only a few hours from Barden in San Diego. Evan, on the other hand, had been accepted into the General Surgery program at Johns Hopkins. Both brothers had been adamant about keeping their choices a secret from each other, not wanting to influence each other on one of the most important decisions they'll ever make.

Grace pursed her lips, and Chloe knew she wasn't at all happy that neither of the boys were returning to Tennessee. "I'm sure they'll both be fine," she said, a little edge to her tone.

Chloe slipped an arm around her mother's shoulders, giving her a little hug. "Hey, don't worry about them. They got into great programs, and at least Ollie is close-ish to me and Evan is close-ish to Will."

"Yes, that's all wonderful," Grace replied, her voice going a little high on the last word. "But it'd be so much better if they were both close-ish to me."

Chloe laughed again, wrapping her mom in a full hug. "I'm pretty close right now! Isn't that enough?"

Grace stepped back, smiling fondly at her daughter. "Of course, honey. But what am I going to do when you leave? I suppose I'll just have to hang out with Beca," she said with a shrug and a grin.

"No. Definitely not," Chloe retorted. "No good can come from that."

"Nonsense, dear. I'm sure we'll hit it off fine," Grace said over her shoulder, walking away towards the meat section.

Chloe sighed, grabbing the cart and starting to follow, mumbling, "That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

"Beca Mitchell is off the market!"

Chloe whipped around, completely abandoning her search of the pantry for brown sugar. She was met with her mother's wide grin and the cover of a gossip magazine, the words splayed large across the front over a candid shot of them on their date.

"Mom, what are you doing with that?" Chloe groaned, having pointedly ignored the story since it came out.

"I'm reading about my baby. It's every mother's dream to read about their daughter in US Weekly, " Grace answered, her voice sarcastic as she flipped through the magazine until landing on the page she was looking for.

"It seems that the elusive artist and DJ is finally spoken for! In an exclusive interview with Mitchell herself, she admitted she is dating the gorgeous redhead... well, at least they got something right," Grace detoured from the article, chuckling and looking over at Chloe. Continuing on, she skimmed over a bit before reading out loud, "Mitchell declined to confirm rumors that she will be joining Rascal Flatts on tour starting this August. We can't help but wonder if this new girlfriend will be joining her on tour?"

Chloe's eyebrows rose at that statement, wondering briefly how Beca put up with this shit all the time. She sighed, spinning back around and grabbing the brown sugar out of the pantry. Setting it on the counter, she waited patiently until Grace tossed the magazine aside.

"Are you finished?" she asked, slightly irritated at the speculations.

Grace nodded, looking at her curiously. "You're not actually joining her on tour, right?"

"Of course not," Chloe retorted. "That's absurd. I have a job and a life in California now."

"Good to see you're not letting that nonsense get to you, honey," Grace said warmly, pulling the mixer away from the wall and plugged it in. "How do you feel about all this?" she asked, gesturing back towards the magazine.

Chloe sighed, answering honestly, "I don't really know yet. I always thought if we got a second chance without all the complications, things would be easier. It's not though, there are just different challenges. This is a part of her life now. I don't get her without all this media crap, so I'm adjusting."

Grace nodded sympathetically. "That's understandable. How are things going with Beca?"

Chloe smiled, thinking of the short brunette. "Really well. I think we're both really thankful for a second chance after how things ended."

"Have you two talked about that? Have you told her how hard the past year was?"

"Sort of," Chloe began, shrinking back a bit from her mother's glare. "It's only been a few weeks! We're taking it slow..."

Grace snorted in disbelief, but didn't comment.

"Hey! We are," Chloe defended, but admitted that it sounded a little weak. "We've talked about it a little, and want to have a deeper conversation...it just hasn't happened yet."

"And I'm sure sleeping together isn't complicating things at all," Grace replied casually, pulling butter out of the fridge and setting it beside the mixer.

Chloe pointed a finger at her mother. "We are not discussing my sex life," she shot back, horrified at the thought.

Grace chuckled again, before grabbing the measuring cups and starting to add ingredients to the mixer. "Fine, fine, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Beca is a beautiful..."

"Mom!" Chloe interrupted, not at all willing to let her mother finish that sentence. "Not ashamed, but definitely not talking about it!"

"Oh, alright," Grace conceded, looking up at her daughter. "Have you thought about what happens at the end of the summer when you go back to Barden and Beca goes on tour? Are you planning to stay together?"

Chloe paused, thinking carefully through the question. The truth was that, yes, she had thought about it, but they she hadn't talked about it with Beca. She assumed they would stay together, especially after what Beca had said that first night. Long distance wasn't ideal, but they were both committed to making it work this time.

Beca going on tour was something else she hadn't thought much about. Chloe had no idea what kinds of things happened on tour, and wondered if Beca would fall in love with traveling and playing in front of thousands of cheering fans. Chloe knew that she was happy in California, and she would never want to live that type of nomadic lifestyle. She wanted a home and a family. She wanted to settle down in one place and grow roots. What if Beca didn't want that?

"Chlo?" her mom asked, and Chloe looked into her patient gaze. "I think you and Beca have some important things to talk about. Do you really want to dive so deep into this relationship when your plans for the future may not be compatible?"

The question haunted her instantly, creating more and more worry and confusion in her mind. What if she and Beca wanted different things? What if Beca never wanted to move back to California? Could Chloe leave Barden? Sure, she could teach anywhere, but she was happy there. She had grown so much as a teacher over the past two years, and absolutely loved the environment that Barden created for its students.

Chloe finally nodded, agreeing with her mom. "Yeah, I think we have a few things to talk about," she answered, a little more quiet than usual.

Grace sighed, rounding the counter to wrap her in a hug. "I didn't mean to imply that you two won't work, Chlo. Just that these are important factors in a relationship. You two may have only just gotten back together, but these conversations aren't out of place with the prior history. Beca's fame only seems to be growing, and will only bring you both more into the public eye. You should get all this out on the table sooner rather than later. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

Chloe hugged her back, knowing her mom was right. "I know, mom."

The sound of the front door opening caused them to split apart, Chloe breaking into a knowing grin at the sound of her brothers voices.

Grace didn't hesitate, shouting, "Take your shoes off before coming in this house!"

Chloe laughed at the sound of footsteps freezing in the hallway, before four loud thumps of the shoes landing near the door. Evan and Oliver appeared moments later, sweeping Chloe off her feet in their usual manner.

"Chlo-bear!" Evan exclaimed happily. "We haven't seen you in forever!"

Grace coughed loudly, her arms crossed over her chest. "No greeting for your mother? The reason ya'll exist in this world?"

The boys immediately set Chloe down, moving to kiss Grace on the cheek.

"Aw, mom, you know we love you," Oliver said, returning Grace's hug.

Grace pulled back, giving him a critical stare. "Where's Megan?" she asked pointedly.

Oliver hesitated, glancing at Evan as if hoping his brother would rescue him. Evan promptly moved to hug Chloe again, and Oliver sighed, saying, "She didn't come, mom. She wanted some space."

Grace took a deep breath, sadness flashing across her face. "Oh, Ollie," she said, wrapping him in another hug.

Chloe glanced at Evan with raised eyebrows, who subtly shook his head in response. Oliver pulled away from their mother after a few seconds, taking a step back with a shrug.

"When did this happen?" Grace asked, her gaze locked on her son.

Oliver answered, "Right before this trip. I mean technically she didn't break up with me, but I guess she got tired of waiting."

Grace sighed, leaning back against the countertop. "Well, to be fair Oliver..."

"I know," he interrupted, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small box. Grace and Chloe gasped as he opened it to reveal a simple diamond solitaire set in a white gold band. "I just wanted to wait until I could offer her some stability."

This time Grace stepped forward and smacked the back of her son's head.

"Ow! What was that for?" Oliver grumbled, rubbing over his hair.

"You got matched in March! How long have you been holding onto that rock?" Grace asked, her tone full of accusations.

Oliver retorted, "I don't know...a few months? Why does that matter?"

Chloe saw her mom gearing up for a speech, and quickly stepped in. "Mom, I think the last thing Ollie needs right now is a lecture. Give him a break," she reasoned, stepping over and slipping her arm around her brother's waist.

Oliver leaned into her, clearly grateful for her interruption. Grace pursed her lips, appearing to think carefully over her next words.

"Did you ask her mother and father for permission?"

Chloe smiled at that, knowing her mother would be very disappointed if he hadn't.

Oliver rolled his eyes, answering, "Of course I did. I flew down to Florida a few weeks ago when she had some girls weekend and asked them over dinner."

Grace smiled at that, replying, "Good. I'm proud of you for doing that. Now you've just got to be patient and wait for her to show up."

Evan looked confused as he asked, "Mom, didn't you hear him? She's not coming."

Grace waved away his statement, turning her attention back to the mixer. "Of course she's coming. By now, her whole family is expecting her to get engaged. Ollie's surprise might be ruined, but she'll be here by tomorrow night. Count on it."

Chloe looked over at Oliver's hopeful expression. She wasn't sure she agreed with her mother on this one, but was thankfully saved from commenting when her phone started ringing loudly. Glancing down at the screen, she saw Beca's name pop up.

"I'll be right back," she excused herself, ignoring Evan's teasing comments.

"Hi baby," she said, sitting down on the couch away from her family.

_"Hey. I know I'll see you tomorrow, but I was wondering if you wanted to come over tonight? I kinda miss you."_

Chloe grinned at those words, answering, "Aw, I miss you too. I thought you were working late tonight? My brothers flew in today."

_"Shit. I completely forgot about that. No, I finished at the studio an hour ago, and now I'm strolling around the block with Zeus."_

"I bet he's having fun," Chloe replied, smiling as the dog's face popped into her mind.

_"Oh, he is. So whatcha say? Want to come chill with us tonight?"_

Chloe paused, thinking it was a good opportunity for them to talk before Beca met her family the following evening.

"Okay, sure. Let me spend some time with the twins, and I'll be over a little later," she decided.

 _"Awesome. I'll order pizza. Come over whenever."_ Beca sounded a little distracted as she gave her the details.

Chloe agreed, "Okay, I'll see you soon. Love ya!"

_"Love you too."_

Chloe hung up the phone and wandered back into the kitchen in time to hear her Grace squeal loudly as Evan said, "Don't freak out, mom, but I've decided to move home for the summer before my residency starts in the fall..."

* * *

Chloe waved goodbye as Oliver pulled away from the curb, before turning and looking up at Beca's apartment building. She hesitantly approached the door, admittedly a little intimidated by the tall man standing just to the side. The dark suit did nothing to hide his muscular build, and his eyes were intelligent and watchful of the surroundings.

She approached slowly, relaxing when he broke into a polite smile and opened the door.

"Good evening, Ms. Beale."

Chloe paused, not expecting him to know her name.

He gestured inside adding, "Just go straight to the elevator. We've been instructed to send you up."

Chloe nodded and quietly thanked him. The elevator doors were already open, and a short ride later she found herself on Beca's sixth floor landing. She knocked, only have to wait a few seconds before the door swung open.

"Chloe! You're here!"

Chloe was unable to hold back her laughter as she found herself face to face with Zeus, standing on his hind legs. It took her a second to realize he was getting some help from Beca, who was hiding behind him and supporting his front paws.

She stepped forward and rubbed the dog's head, letting him lick her cheek. "I missed you, too!"

Beca poked her head out to the side, giving her a grin as she let Zeus drop to the floor. "What about me?"

Chloe pretended to think about it, before answering teasingly, "Nah, really just him."

"You wound me, Beale," Beca complained, letting her walk inside and locking the door behind her.

Chloe laughed again, waiting for Beca to turn back around before stepping right into her space and giving her a kiss. "Okay, fine...I missed you a little," she sighed, not resisting when Beca kissed her again.

"Good. I'd hate it if it was just me," Beca murmured, before leading the way over to the couch.

Chloe followed her, feeling the instant happiness that came from being back in Beca's presence. She realized that while there were constant struggles and obstacles in their path, their time together had always been like this. Being around Beca was always easy and comfortable, always making her feel right at home with the brunette.

"What's on your mind?" Beca interrupted her thoughts, twisting sideways on the couch to face her. The familiarity of it all hit Chloe, reminding her of all the conversations they had just like this in her apartment.

"I was thinking about how easy this is, with you," Chloe admitted, meeting Beca's eyes.

Beca laughed, replying, "What are you talking about? We had nothing but problems before. Our whole relationship was a secret."

Chloe shook her head. "No, not that. I meant us. Blocking everything else out, being with you is easy. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"You should probably spend more time with me, then," Beca offered, glancing quickly over at Zeus, who had perked up for a second in his doggy bed before lying back down.

Chloe scoffed, "Says the one who is always busy."

Beca nodded. "Touche. I wish I could say that will change, but I'm afraid things are only getting worse. Hell, I was still trying to figure it all out before you showed up. All I can do is take it one day at a time and do the best I can," she finished with a shrug.

"What if that's not enough?" Chloe asked, her earlier worries flooding her mind. "What if that's not enough for us?"

"Whoa, where is this coming from?" Beca asked, leaning forward with concern.

Chloe looked down at her hands, answering, "It's just been on my mind lately. Things are so different now, and you're..."

"I'm...what exactly?" Beca asked, sounding more nervous. "I know we've been putting off having a serious conversation...I guess now's as good a time as any," she sighed, grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch and wrapping it around her shoulders."You've clearly been thinking about some things."

Chloe met her gaze and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I have. I think we need to talk about some stuff."

Beca nodded, cutting in and saying, "Hold on. I can't have a serious talk on an empty stomach. Let me order some pizza."

"Okay," Chloe agreed with a smile, waiting patiently while Beca tapped out an order on her phone.

"Done," Beca confirmed, tossing her phone lightly onto the coffee table. "Okay, Chlo, what's on your mind?"

Chloe hesitated as all the thoughts and worries ran through her mind at warp speed. She took a deep breath, saying, "The summer is going by really fast, Becs. In a month I'll be back in California and you'll be on tour. I don't know where that leaves us, or if we even want the same things."

Beca frowned, opening her mouth to speak, but Chloe quickly cut her off.

"But before we talk about that, I think we should talk about the past year. We really haven't yet, and I think it's important we get all those emotions out in the open," Chloe finished, relaxing a bit as Beca nodded.

"Sure, Chlo. Do you want to start?" Beca asked.

"Yeah, I guess I'll start. It was my idea, after all," Chloe agreed, watching Beca lock her fingers together, smiling at the nervous action. "I'm not sure I can even explain to you how hard the past year was for me," she started slowly, thinking back over the months. "I was really lonely...more than I've ever been before. I was so mad at myself. I regretted everything instantly, and felt so guilty."

Chloe felt her eyes well up with tears, and was grateful when Beca scooted closer and took her hand. She carefully wiped her eyes with her free hand, sniffling a little before continuing.

"I was also hurt that you believed me...believed that I was capable of doing that to you. That I was so cold I could just move on to someone else in a week or two. I could see it, Beca...it was almost like you expected it. Like what we had couldn't have been real. That was hard for me, after being all in and risking everything for our relationship," Chloe finished, forcing herself to look into Beca's eyes.

Beca took a deep breath, seemingly thinking through all Chloe had said before answering.

"I was devastated," she said, her voice low. "You're right, it was everything I feared happening. It wasn't a dream, it wasn't a joke... and it crushed me. I didn't want to believe it, but how could I not? You were standing there telling me I meant nothing to you, so I left."

Beca paused, looking down at their hands, still joined together. Chloe remained silent, feeling all the pain and hurt of the past year. Questions were already bouncing around inside her head, but she knew that Beca wasn't finished.

"I came here, and everything was so different. I was surrounded by people and alone at the same time...it was weird," Beca continued with a small laugh. "The label scheduled me from meeting, to meeting, to studio time...anything and everything you can think of. But at the end of the day, I came back to my tiny apartment and was alone. Even as my name got out there and my music started to sell, I kinda stayed a loner. I didn't really go out or anything unless I had to for PR stuff. I missed you," she admitted, finally meeting Chloe's eyes.

Chloe spoke softly, "I asked Jess and Ashley about you...how you were doing. I couldn't help it, especially after seeing some of the articles and stories. They told me you didn't go out or see anyone, but it was hard to believe when you were everywhere."

Beca shook her head, replying, "I learned fast that the media will do anything for a story...or say anything, whether it's true or not. I...I didn't ask about you. I couldn't. It was hard enough to come to terms with how things ended. Stacie tried to talk about you a couple times, but I just couldn't."

"That's understandable," Chloe reasoned, despite the pang of hurt the statements brought about. "I have to ask though, why didn't you go? I refuse to believe you didn't want it...so, why?"

Beca frowned again, as if recalling a particularly unpleasant memory. "I suppose a part of me was scared. It's not every day that someone calls you up and offers you everything you wanted, except that it's across the country from your family and friends and everything you know. Yeah, I think on some level I knew it was the right thing for me, but I would be alone."

Chloe nodded, understanding how the decision was harder for Beca than it seemed. It was difficult for her to move across the country and she was six years older than Beca, already having started her career.

"Our relationship also played a part. If I'm honest, I'm still nervous as hell about doing long distance, but I'm willing to try. I didn't want to lose you, Chlo, and I thought that you'd be happy if I stayed," Beca said, leaning a little more into the couch. "I did enjoy working with Luke, even if that wasn't the best career move going forward. It wouldn't have been bad recording a single with him."

Beca shrugged, meeting Chloe's eyes. "I was in love with you, and I didn't want our relationship to end before it really got to begin. I made a decision, and the worst part was that I lost you anyways."

Chloe sighed, suddenly grateful that they were still holding hands, hopeful that the physical connection was a symbol that even though they were digging through this mountain of hurt, they would get through it together.

"My heart plummeted when you told me you were going to turn down the offer," Chloe admitted quietly. "I never thought you'd do it, especially after you were so focused on your music."

"I didn't either," Beca said, her small smile reassuring Chloe that her words were okay. "I remember thinking that younger me would slap the shit out of current me for even considering turning it down."

Chloe laughed, slightly distracted by the way Beca's fingers were absentmindedly rubbing over her palm. Beca followed her gaze, quickly pulling her hand away and mumbling an apology.

"It's okay," Chloe said, blushing a little. "Just hard to focus."

Beca smirked, shifting back slightly on the couch to put a little space between them. "Can't help that I'm so...distracting."

Chloe rolled her eyes, replying, "You're not THAT distracting."

Beca didn't respond, but her eyes were bright and she clearly disagreed with that statement. Instead, she changed the subject, asking, "You said earlier you've been thinking about the end of the summer?"

The mood turned somber again, as Chloe's nerves instantly returned. "Yeah," she answered, knowing how short it sounded.

"Care to elaborate?" Beca asked, turning concerned as well.

Chloe didn't answer right away, taking a slow breath as she looked into Beca's eyes. "I know you said you would do long distance, but we haven't really talked about what that would look like, or if it's even a good idea."

Beca interrupted her, "Wait a second...what do you mean 'if it's even a good idea?' Are you having second thoughts about us?"

"No," Chloe answered quickly, hesitating before saying, "Maybe."

"That's not an answer, Chlo," Beca said, surprising herself with the patience in her words.

Chloe took a breath, focusing her thoughts and tried to clarify. "No, I'm not having second thoughts. I love you, but we have never talked about what the future looks like. I know what I want, but what if you don't want the same things?"

Beca relaxed a bit, breaking into a smile. "I guess that's understandable, but we don't have to figure everything out right now. How about this...I know I want to marry you someday. Not anytime soon, but someday. I can see us with a house with a yard for Zeus to patrol...I mean play in. Eventually I want a family, a big one since I didn't have any siblings growing up...shit, did I freak you out?"

Chloe had no idea what her face was doing, but her heart was melting at how adorable Beca was when she spoke of their future together, and what she wanted someday. It was everything Chloe could have asked for, and she was filled with pure joy knowing that Beca wanted it too. She felt a tear slide down her cheek, smiling at how emotional she was getting and swiped at it.

Beca anxiously scooted closer, taking both Chloe's hands in her own. "I'm not going to lie to you, or hide anything from you. When I think of my future, you're in it. If that freaks you out, or isn't something you want, tell me now. Do you not want kids? Is it because you're a teacher?"

Chloe shook her head, giving Beca a teary smile. "I do. I want kids, and a house, and everything. I want it all with you," Chloe managed, freeing one hand to wipe her eyes again. "I don't know why I'm crying right now," she exclaimed, as Beca started to laugh. "Don't laugh at me," Chloe said, resigned to the brunette's reaction, and there was no hint of anger in her tone.

Beca stopped laughing anyways, leaning forward and kissing her gently. "I love you, even though you're an emotional wreck."

"Takes one to know one," Chloe muttered, sliding a hand behind Beca's neck and pulling her into another kiss, this one deeper.

Beca pulled back after a moment, leaning her shoulder heavily into the couch and looking up at Chloe. "I don't know how the whole long distance thing will work, but it's only temporary. I'm planning on finding a place in California within a year or two. I figure I've got a place to stay until I do," she hinted.

Chloe nodded, replying, "Of course! You can always stay with me."

"Good to know, babe, but I was talking about my parents...ow!"

Chloe narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend, waiting expectantly.

Beca grinned, rubbing her shoulder as she conceded, "Fine, fine, I was talking about your place. I've at least got a shot at getting laid there."

"Not with bad jokes like that, you don't," Chloe shot back, but her smile took the sting out of the words.

A knock at the door interrupted them, and Zeus shot up instantly, sprinting over and nosing curiously at the door handle.

"Pizza's here," Beca said with a laugh, getting up and walking over to the door.

Chloe smiled as Beca grabbed Zeus' collar with one hand and opened the door with the other, revealing a man in a dark suit. She was surprised to see Beca let go of the Zeus, taking the pizza boxes as the man broke into a grin and scratched the dog's head.

"Thanks, Jeff," Beca called over her shoulder, making her way back to Chloe and setting the food down on the coffee table. "Want something to drink? I've got water, soda, beer...?" she trailed off.

Chloe was still looking over at Zeus standing by the door, although the man was gone. "Where do you order pizza from?" she asked curiously, before adding, "A beer would be great."

Beca laughed and moved towards the kitchen, answering, "Almost no one gets past the lobby. We either have to go down to pay, or one of the guys will bring it up if it's prepaid." She grabbed a couple beers and returned to the couch, placing them down on the table.

Zeus gave up waiting for Jeff to return, instead trotting over to inspect the pizza on the low coffee table, which was making Chloe's mouth water.

"It smells amazing," Chloe said, watching Zeus sniff hopefully at the box. "Does he get some?"

Beca scoffed, "Dude, no way. He almost never gets people food. Zeus, go to your bed," she said firmly, pointing a finger at the doggy bed in the corner.

Chloe was impressed that he immediately retreated, laying down in the bed facing them, hope still written all over his face. She opened the twist off cap as Beca flipped open the boxes and turned on the TV, turning on a recorded episode of Master Chef.

"Just like old times," Beca said with a smile, looking over at Chloe as she set the remote back on the table. "Except with hot food this time."

Chloe laughed, remembering their night eating cold fajitas while watching the show. "Yep, nothing else has changed," she joked. As she picked up a slice of pizza, she said, "I'm really glad we talked tonight, Becs."

Beca nodded, swallowing her bite of pizza. "Me too. It was tough, but necessary. I know we can make this work."

After a minute or two of silence, Beca added, "And I'm pretty excited to meet your family tomorrow. Got any tips for me?"

Chloe replied immediately, "Stay away from my mother."

Beca hummed for a minute, replying, "We're going to get along great, aren't we?"

It wasn't posed as a question, more of a statement, and it made Chloe instantly nervous. "Probably," she sighed, thinking of the repercussions of that probability. "Maybe you shouldn't come over after all..." she teased, glancing over at the brunette.

"No way, Beale. You already invited me," Beca argued, her tone light. "No takebacks. Besides, you promised me a legendary fireworks show."

Chloe smiled, replying, "That's true. It'd just be cruel to deprive you of that."

They made short work of the pizzas, stowing the leftovers in the fridge before curling up on the couch together. Chloe couldn't help but replay Beca's words about the future over and over in her mind. She was over the moon at the fact that Beca wanted the same things she did, and while it might take a few years for everything to come together, Chloe had no doubt in her mind that they were going to be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a huge thank you to my awesome beta, Ravenclawsome33, and to Arsto for helping me work through that writer's block!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to follow, fave, read, and review!
> 
> Next chapter, Beca meets the Beale's!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this chapter is way late. BUT, it's super long to make up for it. It's July 4th and Beca finally meets the Beale's! Enjoy!
> 
> Music:
> 
> You're The Reason I Come Home - Ron Pope

* * *

 

Beca looked in the mirror one last time, tugging uncomfortably on the open halves of her red and white plaid shirt. She decided to leave it open, wearing a dark blue tank top and jean shorts with her bikini underneath, because of course Chloe's family had a lake house. She glanced down at Zeus, who was laying in the doorway.

"Ready?" she asked, smiling as he popped up and trotted off towards the front door. "Take that as a yes," she muttered, stepping into her favorite pair of worn out converse.

Chloe hadn't stayed last night, heading home before it got too late to help with things in the morning. Beca quickly finished packing her overnight bag, throwing in a towel and a pair of flip-flops before setting off down the hallway in search of Zeus. The redhead had insisted she spend the night at the lake house instead of driving home, and told her Zeus was more than welcome to attend the celebration. Beca recalled the warm feeling that came when Chloe offered that bit of information without being prompted, realizing that she was already inserting Zeus into their plans. It was something small, but it meant a lot to Beca that Chloe was so accepting of her life and all that came with it.

"Okay, bud, let's get this show on the road," Beca said cheerfully, grabbing his leash off the hook and clipping it to the dog's collar.

Beca threw the small bag over her shoulder and opened the door, letting Zeus walk out first onto the landing and locked it behind them. After a quick stop outside, it only took a few minutes before they were in the car and on the road. She had the windows down for Zeus, who was strictly confined to the backseat of her beloved Mazda, and laughed as he randomly stuck his head out of the car.

Beca turned on the radio, singing along comfortably to whatever came on as she made the drive out to the Beale's lake house. She was really looking forward to meeting Chloe's family and getting to know more about her girlfriend, but mostly Beca was just happy that they didn't have to hide their relationship anymore. It wasn't some dangerous secret, but something she could be open about and proud of.

Their conversation last night left her in a good place, feeling like they had turned a corner and moved away from the shadow of their year apart. It hadn't been easy, and Beca knew it was probably equally hard for Chloe to talk about the lingering hurt from their time apart, but she felt pounds lighter now that it was over. Beca had shocked herself with the open way she answered some of Chloe's questions, but was proud of the way she didn't run away or avoid the tough issues. She knew she wanted Chloe in her future, and had decided the minute the redhead came back into her life that she wasn't going to lose her again.

Beca followed her GPS until she found herself parked outside a large, beautiful home with a wraparound porch. She loved it instantly, looking around the large yard and at the lake stretching out behind the house. There were already parked cars scattered around the driveway and street, and music could be heard playing somewhere in the back yard just over happy chatter and laughter.

Beca climbed out of the car and stretched, leaving her sunglasses on as the sun warmed her face. Zeus whined anxiously in the backseat, pacing from window to window as if he wasn't sure which door would open and free him.

"Hey, just chill out a second there," Beca said, chuckling at him. Her head shot up as she heard a familiar voice call her name from the front of the house.

"Becs!"

She rounded the car as Chloe approached, wrapping her in a tight hug. Beca leaned back as Chloe dropped a quick kiss to her lips, before peeking around her shoulder at Zeus.

"Is he ready for the best day ever?!" Chloe asked excitedly, stepping back and meeting her gaze.

Beca rolled her eyes, answering, "Always about the dog. If I didn't know better, Beale..."

Chloe interrupted her, "Don't finish that sentence." She moved around Beca to pet Zeus, whose head was now completely out of the car window. "Or I'll have lie to keep us both out of trouble," she whispered conspiratorially, loudly enough for Beca to hear.

Beca sighed, knowing it was hopeless. "That's what happens when you rescue such a handsome guy," she said, resigned to being second. "Guess I should just get used to it?" she asked, opening the passenger side door and grabbing her bag, along with Zeus' leash.

She gratefully passed Chloe the bag and worked on getting Zeus out of the car with his leash on. As he sniffed excitedly around the nearest grass, Beca looked up at the sky, then around at the street.

"Do I need to worry about my car?" she asked, stuffing the keys inside an outside pocket of the bag when Chloe shook her head.

"Nah, no one lives too close to us. It should be fine unless it magically starts to rain."

Beca nodded and gave a gentle tug at Zeus' leash. "Come on, dude, you can pee on everything in a minute."

Chloe laughed and looped her arm through Beca's, leading her towards the house. "I'm really glad you're here," she said softly, pressing closer.

Beca smiled, locking her fingers with Chloe's other hand. "Me too, babe. I'm excited to meet your family."

"They can't wait to meet you. Most everyone is out back. I'll just throw your bag inside and we can go around," Chloe replied, jogging up the front steps and disappearing in the house for a minute.

Beca took a deep breath, calming the butterflies that decided to suddenly call her stomach home. It must have showed on her face as Chloe reappeared, her face turning concerned as she descended down the steps.

"You okay?" Chloe asked, stopping beside her and rubbing Zeus' ears.

Beca nodded, swallowing before answering, "No. I mean, yeah, totally fine. Super fine." Nailed it.

Chloe's eyebrows rose and she clearly fought back a grin. "Okay," she said slowly, drawing the word out, still looking unconvinced. "It'll be fine. My family will love you."

"How do your dad and brothers feel about guns again?" Beca asked, hoping that a few jokes might calm her down.

"This family strongly supports the second amendment," Chloe answered, shooting her a grin. "So run fast and in a zigzag pattern if it turns south."

Beca laughed, falling into step beside her girlfriend as they started walking around the house. "Good to know."

Chloe spoke confidently as the backyard came into view. "Seriously, this is gonna be pretty low key. Nothing like getting mobbed by fans when you perform. If you can handle that, you can handle this."

Beca let her eyes roam over the scene, replying sarcastically, "Yeah, sure. One minor difference is I'm not usually sleeping with any of those people's daughters or sisters...but yeah, basically the same thing."

Chloe's laughter rang in her ears, and Beca couldn't help but smile too as she looked around at the large backyard. Her first instinct was to ask why they needed a pool if the house was already located on a lake, but decided that might be a little tactless. There were more people milling around than she'd anticipated, and was starting to feel like Chloe had left out a few people when describing her family. A young boy was chasing a large black lab around part of the yard, and Zeus pulled anxiously at his leash at the sight.

The in-ground pool was accompanied by a hottub, and a large stone patio area with a full bar and gill. Three men were standing behind it drinking beers, one looking eerily like a younger version of the other. There was a large patio table and chairs off to the side, and more folding chairs scattered around the yard. Lawn games had been set up, and a few people were already playing horseshoes while another group was occupying the cornhole set.

Beca let her eyes follow the stone path that cut through the yard and led straight to the lake. The dock larger than she was expecting, with a large speedboat and a second story with lounge chairs. She was suddenly thankful that no one noticed them approaching yet, slowing down to really take everything in.

"Shit, Chlo, this is really nice," Beca murmured, her eyes shifting around the yard.

Chloe shrugged, reaching down and locking their fingers together. "We didn't have it growing up. Mom and Dad bought it about two years ago, after I finished college. It's a fun place to escape, though."

Beca hummed in agreement, still looking around at all the happy faces. She had assumed that Chloe's siblings would have red hair, but was struggling to find even one other redhead in the group. Beca heard Chloe suck in a deep breath, turning curiously to see what caused the reaction.

"My mom spotted us," Chloe admitted, glancing at her before looking back at the approaching redheaded woman. "Ready, Becs?"

Beca snorted at the question, responding confidently, "I was born ready, Beale."

Chloe rolled her eyes, and Beca chuckled having gotten her desired reaction. There wasn't time to say anything else, as Chloe's mom approached them with a wide smile. She felt Chloe release her hand to give her mom a hug, as if she too had just arrived.

Beca watched their quick interaction fondly, taken aback at the similarities between mother and daughter. It was like looking into the future, and it made Beca smile at how close they were.

"Beca, this is my mom, Grace. Mom, this is Beca...and Zeus, of course," Chloe introduced, bringing Beca's attention back to the moment.

Beca smiled and reached out a hand, but found herself enveloped in a hug before she could say a single word.

"Beca! It's so good to finally meet you! Chloe talks about you all the time," Grace said warmly, before stepping back to look her over.

Beca quickly returned the hug, replying, "It's great to meet you, too. Thank you for letting me spend the fourth here with your family. This place is incredible. Oh, and thanks for letting me bring Zeus."

Grace waved her statements away, gushing, "We're so happy ya'll could make it...you and Zeus. It'll give poor Shadow someone to play with. He's outgrown Eddie already, bless that boy's heart. Come on down and meet everyone!"

And with that, Grace nudged Chloe aside and looped her arm through Beca's in a familiar gesture, leading her towards the party. Beca grinned at Chloe, falling into step with her mother and saying, "Great, I'd love to meet everyone."

She paused after a few steps as Zeus pulled again at his leash in the direction of the other dog. "Uh, Mrs. Beale, can I..."

Grace cut her off, saying, "Oh honey, call me Grace, please."

Beca smiled, continuing, "Is it alright if I let Zeus off leash? He's pretty well trained..."

"Of course!" Grace replied, turning to say something to Chloe.

Beca thanked her and leaned down, scratching behind Zeus' ears before unclipping the leash, still holding him by the collar. "Behave yourself, dude. Don't get me in trouble."

With that she let go, and he took off like a rocket towards Shadow. Beca watched as he raced around the yard, and felt a little guilty at not taking him to the dog park more often. He clearly had energy to burn, and breathed a sigh of relief when he and Shadow started to play.

"Oh look at how nicely they're getting along," Grace commented, walking back over to her. "Come now, you must be hungry. Let's introduce you to Christian and get ya'll some food."

Beca nodded, finding herself smiling again. She glanced over at Chloe who shrugged as if resigned to letting her mom dictate the next series of events. She was thankful when Chloe locked their fingers together, making small talk with her mother until they reached the men standing around the grill. Beca knew immediately which one was Chloe's father, as she found herself looking into the same clear blue eyes as her girlfriend.

The third man wandered away as Grace made the introductions. "Beca, this is my husband, Christian, and Chloe's older brother, CJ."

Beca was a little more prepared this time as Christian gave her a welcoming hug and smile. "Beca! It's wonderful to meet you. Make yourself at home."

CJ was a little more reserved as he offered her his free hand, but his smile was equally as warm as his parents. Up close, she knew her first impression of the two men looking strikingly similar was not wrong. She found CJ's name extremely appropriate after seeing him next to his father, getting the same vibe as she had when looking at Chloe and her mother. Both men were handsome, tall with brown hair and piercing blue eyes, though the elder Beale had streaks of gray at his temples. She smiled at their matching patriotic aprons, reminding her of the way she and her dad used to cook meals at home.

Beca answered, "It's nice to meet you both. I've been looking forward to meeting Chloe's family."

CJ winked at Chloe, replying, "Well we've got more baby pictures and embarrassing stories than you can imagine. Just say the word..."

"And that's dad and CJ," Chloe cut in, shaking her head at her older brother.

Grace interrupted them, saying, "Chlo, can you come help me bring the rest of the food out from the kitchen?"

Beca bit her lip to keep from laughing at the conflicted look on her girlfriend's face. She knew Chloe didn't want to leave her alone with her brother, her mind working overtime to try and come up with a reason to stay. She eventually gave in, nodding and following her mother inside the house.

"So, Beca," CJ began, casually flipping a burger. "What exactly are your intentions with my sister?"

Christian threw him a surprised look, saying, "Isn't that my job? I always thought the parent gets to interrogate, while the older brothers intimidate."

CJ retorted, "Well you were taking your sweet time, old man, so I figured I'd help out."

Beca grinned at their exchange, until they both shot her pointed stares. She realized the two men were more alike than just their outward appearance, and it was borderline creepy. "Uh, I mean, I love Chloe," she stuttered, looking nervously from one to the other.

"She was pretty broken up over you," CJ accused, narrowing his eyes. "I don't care how famous you are, you better not hurt my baby sister again."

Beca shrank back a little at his serious tone, glancing around for a sign of Chloe.

Christian chuckled, saying, "Not bad. I think that's enough, son. Go help your mom and sister."

Beca was stunned at how easily Christian dismissed his son, and how CJ didn't say a word before heading inside the house. Left alone with Christian, she shifted nervously before circling around the grill and picking up the discarded spatula.

"What are you doing?" Christian asked curiously.

"I like to cook," Beca replied immediately, flipping a burger. "I used to cook all the time with my dad at home. And I'm super nervous right now, so this is giving me something else to focus on," she added, giving the older man a small smile.

Christian hummed, turning his attention back to the grill. "Are you serious about my daughter?"

Beca swallowed, the question coming out of nowhere. "Yes, I am," she answered honestly. "I've never met anyone who makes me feel the way Chloe does."

"And what happens when everyone finds out that she used to be your high school teacher?" Christian asked, moving hot dogs to the upper rack away from the flame.

Beca began to do the same, answering, "I know the story will break at some point, but there's not a lot anyone can do. No one but family knows about us, and as for the rest of the world, we got together a month ago. I don't care what people say...I love Chloe."

Christian looked over at her, and Beca wondered what he was thinking. "And when people say you shouldn't be together? That you can do better than some poor high school teacher?"

"They can fuck off," Beca responded without thinking, her eyes going wide seconds later when she realized what she said.

Christian burst out laughing, a deep, happy sound that soon had Beca relaxing and joining in. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

Christian shook his head, still chuckling softly. "Don't apologize, Beca. I think you're pretty grounded for someone so young and successful. You clearly make Chloe very happy, and you have my full support as long as that doesn't change." He was quiet for a moment, before asking, "Do you like what you do?"

Beca nodded, giving him a smile. "I love making music. I've never wanted to do anything else, although I could live without the fame. The hardest part was leaving my family to come here, but it's been for the best."

Christian glanced up at the door, spotting Grace, Chloe, and CJ walking their way. "Well, you're always welcome in our home. Grace has been a little stir crazy now that all the kids are gone," he said, though his voice was affectionate. "Best be careful, or she'll have you moved in within the week," he warned, lowering his voice so only she could hear him.

Beca snickered as the other three approached, hands full of condiments, buns, and other side dishes. Chloe eyed the two of them suspiciously, but CJ spoke first.

"Pops, you replaced me already? I was gone five minutes!" he said, his voice filled with mock outrage.

Beca quickly relinquished her spot behind the grill, saying, "Not at all, I was just subbing in. It's all you."

Chloe immediately grabbed her hand, steering her away from the grill.

Beca twisted back around, saying, "Wait, I didn't get to see any baby pictures!"

Chloe's tugging on her hand increased, and Beca had to settle for CJ winking and mouthing, 'later.' She gave him a quick nod and grin, before spinning around to walk forwards, smirking at Chloe.

"What were you and my dad talking about? You were grinning like a kid on Christmas when we came back out," Chloe asked curiously, looking over at her once they were out of earshot.

"I like your brother already," Beca offered, changing the subject and laughing at the way her girlfriend's eyes narrowed. "Is that the twins?" she asked, spotting two men zooming towards the dock on a pair of jet skis, anxious to meet them having heard enough stories about their antics from Chloe.

Chloe looked towards the water, waiting as the jet skis slowed until the riders secured them to the dock and hopped off. They stripped off their life jackets and tossed them out of sight, laughing about something. Beca watched as they began to walk back to the house, immediately breaking into a run when they saw Chloe.

Beca's eyebrows rose as Chloe squealed happily and let go of her hand, turning to run away from her brothers. They caught her easily, lifting her off the ground and quickly soaking her clothes through.

"Chlo-bear!" Evan shouted, squeezing her tightly. "Come swim with us! The water's great."

Oliver snickered, adding, "You would know, dude. You fell in like fifty times."

Chloe squirmed out of their grasp when Evan retorted, "That's because I wasn't driving like grandpa out there. Live a little, bro...there's a throttle for a reason."

Chloe rolled her eyes, cutting in saying, "You guys are ridiculous. Come here and meet Beca."

Both men turned to look at her, making Beca feel a little like something bad was about to happen. She was also starting to wonder if the Beale's should all be modeling somewhere. The twins were both devastatingly handsome, with lighter brown hair than their father and the same piercing blue eyes that Beca was so in love with. Beca would've had zero chance of telling them apart if it wasn't for the fact that one was sporting a scruffy, five o'clock shadow while the other was clean shaven.

Before either of them could move, Chloe said sharply, "Do not pick her up." The statement was punctuated with a finger pointed in their direction, and Beca barely stifled her laughter at the conflicted looks on their faces.

"But...she's so small," Evan sighed, giving Chloe a pleading look.

Oliver was on the same page as his twin, adding, "We could lift her so high...way higher than you, Chlo."

He realized his mistake a second later, as Chloe's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean, Ollie?" she asked, her voice dangerous.

Oliver stalled, looking at Evan for help. "Oh, come on, Chlo, you know I didn't...Ev, back me up here..."

Evan shook his head. "No way, bro. You pissed off the girl in record time," he laughed, moving to hug Chloe again. "Chlo-bear, introduce us properly to your girlfriend. Did you tell her we're your favorite brothers?"

Chloe couldn't stay mad at the twins, rolling her eyes at them. "Beca, this two goofballs are Evan and Oliver. Guys, this is Beca. Don't prank her, or her dog will kill you."

"Dog?" Oliver perked up, looking around the yard. "Where?"

Beca whistled, spinning around to look around the yard, only having to wait a few seconds for Zeus to come tearing in their direction. He trotted over, panting heavily and immediately plopped down at her feet.

Evan snorted, "Oh yeah, that one's a real killer." He knelt down, pushing Zeus onto his back and rubbed his belly. "Aren't you dude? You're just a big baby. Just like Shadow...I can tell."

Oliver grinned at him, looking back at Beca and saying, "We love dogs, but there's no way we could have one now. Med school is killer, and apparently residency is worse."

Beca nodded, impressed. "Ah, yeah. Chloe told me you're about to start your residency in LA! That's awesome!"

Oliver thanked her with a smile, though he didn't seem as happy as Beca would have expected. They were interrupted as Grace shouted over the happy chatter for him to help her with something, and Oliver politely excused himself. Beca was a little surprised as Zeus hopped quickly to his feet, following at the man's heels as he walked away.

Evan stood up, shooting Chloe a look before addressing Beca. "Don't mind him, he's really excited about it, but his girlfriend just sort of broke up with him."

Chloe sighed, asking, "She didn't show up, then?"

Evan shook his head. "Not yet, but mom is sure she'll be here by the end of the night, and refuses to listen to anyone who says otherwise."

"She needs to butt out. He's going to be even more crushed when Megan doesn't show," Chloe said. "Oh, sorry Becs. Ollie and Megan have been together for like ten years, and he was gonna pop the question tonight, but she asked to take a break right before this trip."

Beca frowned, taking in what Chloe said. "That sucks. Why'd he wait so long?" she asked, her tone curious and not accusatory.

Evan explained, "Med school is tough. He thought they were too young in undergrad, and then didn't want to worry about a wedding or anything in med school. I'm hoping mom's right, and Megan comes around. Anyways," he said, effectively changing the subject. "Are you treating my little sister right?" he asked gruffly, turning his expression serious.

Chloe's jaw dropped, quickly stepping forward to smack his shoulder. "Ev! You are not giving her the talk," she said, staring at her brother.

Evan crossed his arms over his chest, looking between them. "Someone's got to. And we both know CJ is gonna be the one telling her all your embarrassing secrets because he's old enough to remember you as a baby."

Beca grinned, interjecting, "Oh yeah, he promised later he would show me..." she trailed off at Chloe's look, finishing lamely, "pictures of his son."

Evan snickered as Chloe turned her glare on Beca. "Did he now?" she asked, crossing her own arms over her chest.

Beca nodded, committed to her lie. "Yep, absolutely. I love kids."

Evan happily rescued her, throwing an arm over Beca's shoulders. "I like this one, Chlo. She'll fit right in with us. Keep her."

"So thankful for your approval," Chloe replied dryly, unable to keep from smiling at her brother. "Go find Ollie and save him from mom. I'm gonna show Beca the dock before we come grab some food."

He nodded and answered, "Good plan. See you in a few. Nice to meet you Beca!"

"You too!" Beca grinned, turning to look at Chloe who was still wet from when the twins first attacked her. "You look good wet, babe," she murmured, stepping closer to press her lips to Chloe's neck.

Beca heard Chloe's breath shudder and felt her hands fly to her hips to steady herself, chuckling softly and nuzzling closer into the dip of her shoulder.

"You're terrible," Chloe finally said, though there was no sign of anger in her tone.

Beca sighed when she pulled back, taking her hand to lead her to the dock. "I like your family," she offered, a smile playing at her lips. "It's what I pictured having siblings would be like. Kinda like how Stace and I are, except we aren't related."

Chloe glanced over her shoulder at her family, smiling fondly. "Yeah, it was never dull growing up, that's for sure. The twins always kept things interesting, and Will and CJ weren't angels either. Not like me," she finished with a wink.

Beca's eyebrows rose dubiously. "It's incredible how you can say that with a straight face," she replied, not believing it for a second. "You probably got away with murder being the baby and the only girl."

"Easily," Chloe laughed as the strolled to the end of the dock, past the boat and jet skis. "Pays to be the minority in this family. The boys are suckers. Mom always loved the water, so it wasn't a surprise when Dad bought this house and all the toys to go with it."

Beca looked out across the lake, loving the gentle breeze blowing towards them off the water. "I see why she does. It's so peaceful here. I love it already and I've been here five minutes." She felt Chloe move behind her and leaned back against the redhead, her girlfriend's arms coming around her waist to hold her close.

"We can come back...before the summer ends," Chloe suggested, resting her chin on Beca's shoulder. "Maybe just the two of us?"

Beca hummed in agreement, grateful for the moment alone in the middle of the chaos of Chloe's family. "Sounds awesome. I'll try to fit it in before I leave."

She turned her head slightly to the side, and Chloe took advantage, capturing her lips in a slow kiss. Beca knew that she would never get tired of the way Chloe kissed her, their connection only growing stronger as they continued to rebuild their relationship. She turned around, one hand sliding behind the redhead's neck as Chloe pushed her gently against a pillar.

Beca pulled back a fraction, sighing, "Fuck, I wish we were alone right now."

As if on cue, a nearby voice shouted, "Quit shoving your tongues down each others throats and come get food!"

Chloe rolled her eyes, leaning back and yelling, "Shut up, Ev! We'll be there in a minute!"

Beca chuckled at Chloe's frustrated look, leaning up and kissing her briefly. "Come on, let's not keep them waiting. I'm hungry anyways."

She started off toward the house, Evan's grinning face coming into view almost instantly. Beca couldn't help but return his wide smile, feeding off his happy vibe, and wondered if all of the Beale's were literal rays of sunshine. It was one of her favorite things about Chloe, how she was almost always happy and positive about things, choosing to see the best in everyone.

Chloe came up beside her just in time to hear Evan say teasingly, "Come on Chlo, there are kids present. Keep it PG."

"Aw, Ev, don't be jealous because my girlfriend is super hot and you've been single forever," Chloe retorted, lacing her fingers with Beca's. "On second thought," she added, giving Beca a mischievous look, "You should totes be jealous. I mean..." Chloe trailed off letting her eyes run down Beca's body, causing her to blush.

"Cut it out," Beca said, her face hot as she gave Chloe a shove to stop the leering.

Evan didn't look too happy about her comments either, grumbling, "Yeah, okay, we get it. You've got a gorgeous, famous girlfriend. No need to rub it in to those less fortunate." He changed the subject, saying, "Come on, mom told me not to come back without you two or I wouldn't get to eat. I don't think she's done becoming best friends with Beca."

Beca held back a laugh at the look that came over Chloe's face at his words. "Well, let's go," she said enthusiastically, tugging at Chloe's hand. "Wouldn't want to keep my future best friend waiting."

Chloe shook her head at her comments and at Evan's resulting laughter, resisting and forcing Beca to pull her along. "Not funny...either of you."

Beca laughed, letting go of her hand and slipping an arm around her waist. She leaned closer, whispering in Chloe's ear, "Don't worry. I'll make it up to you later."

Chloe hummed thoughtfully, before nodding agreeably. "Hmm...fine," she conceded, her eyes dropping briefly to Beca's chest, leaving no doubt what was on her mind.

The trio returned to the main area surrounding the pool and grill where Christian and CJ were manning the grill, and Grace was behind the bar making a giant pitcher of margaritas. Chloe's eyes lit up at that, and instantly left Beca's side to help her mother.

Evan laughed again, saying to Beca, "Chlo-bear's a sucker for margaritas...or just tequila."

"Noted," Beca replied, ideas already forming in her head of how to put that knowledge to good use.

"Mom, Beca needs a drink," Evan called out, catching his mother's attention.

Grace looked over with wide eyes, before turning on her children. "You're all being terrible hosts! What's wrong with you...where are your manners?" she accused, making eye contact with each of them, including CJ behind the grill.

"Why are you looking at me?" the oldest Beale complained, protesting his innocence. "I've been grilling food for everyone. Besides, she's Chloe's girlfriend."

Chloe flipped him off behind her mother's back as Grace turned towards him. "Christian Junior are you back-talking me?"

CJ instantly retreated, saying, "No, ma'am," in a disgruntled tone.

Grace was not appeased, turning to her husband. "Christian, do something about your sons, please. Chloe, get that poor girl a drink. Beca, honey, what would you like? We've got beer, wine, margaritas..."

Beca hesitated a moment, glancing at the other people milling around before answering, "Water would be great." All five Beale's turned to give her a curious look, and she nervously locked her hands together. "I, uh, well I'm not twenty-one yet, and I'm sure your friends are nice but one picture of me with a beer could cause a lot of problems, so..." she trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Grace shot her that warm smile again, replying, "Of course, we completely understand. Chloe, there's water in the cooler over there."

Beca sighed, already feeling the change come over them. It had been great, perfect actually, up until that point. None of them were treating her like she was famous, and for a short while she'd been able to just be Beca again. She hadn't even realized how much she missed it, the anonymity of being a normal person. Christian, Evan, and CJ had begun discussing some sporting event while Grace finished filling margarita glasses, Chloe rejoining her a moment later with a bottle of water.

"Everything alright?" Chloe asked, frowning at the look on Beca's face.

She nodded, shrugging her shoulders as she took the bottle from Chloe. "I just realized how much I miss being a regular, normal person. Someone who doesn't have to worry about people taking pictures of me and selling them..."

Chloe nodded, understanding what she meant. "Hey, no one here would do that to you. Just be the amazing person I fell in love with. Before you were famous, I might add," Chloe said smugly, nudging her shoulder. "You know none of that matters to me, right?"

Beca smiled gratefully at her, answering honestly, "It crossed my mind, but I knew I was just being ridiculous."

"Damn right," Chloe retorted, looking slightly offended. "I risked prison for you, or have you already forgotten that small detail?"

"Yeah, that's insane. What were you thinking?" Beca quipped, her mouth curling into a smirk.

Chloe wrapped her arms around her, whispering, "I was thinking that I was in big trouble because of how fast I was falling for you."

"Ditto, Beale," Beca murmured, twisting to kiss Chloe's cheek.

The moment was broken as CJ shouted, "Food's ready!"

They broke apart as his deep voice had everyone headed their way. Beca quickly moved off to the side as people crowded around the grill, with Grace sending around plates and lining up bags of hot dog and hamburger buns along the top of the bar.

"Okay, two lines everyone. Those of you that want amazing burgers and dogs over here," CJ pointed toward his side of the grill. "And those who want burnt messes, over there," he finished with a sly grin, pointing at his father's side.

Christian chuckled at the joke, looking out over the crowd. "It's a sad day when my son is the one making the lame dad jokes," he replied loudly. "Thought I taught him better than that."

As people laughed and lined up around the grill to receive food, Beca felt a tap at her shoulder and heard Chloe say, "Becs, come here. I want you to meet someone."

Beca spun around, looking in the direction Chloe was pointing to see her nephew rolling on the grass with Zeus and Shadow. It was difficult to tell the two black dogs apart, but every so often she would see the patch of white fur on Zeus' chest. They made their way toward the group, but Chloe smiled at another woman on the way, grabbing Beca's hand and leading her on a quick detour.

"Nora!" Chloe said happily, leaning in for a hug. "I want you to meet Beca. Beca, this is my sister-in-law, Nora. Eddie belongs to her and CJ."

Nora returned her hug, before smiling at Beca. "Nice to meet you! And I think Eddie is overwhelmed at the fact he has two dogs to play with. I was just going to try and force him to eat something."

Beca smiled politely at the attractive woman, seemingly in her early thirties, and gave her a short hug. "It's nice to meet you, too. I'm glad Zeus has made such great friends already."

Nora shot a fond look at her son, saying, "He loves all animals, but especially dogs ever since he got Shadow. They're inseparable."

They both watched as Chloe left them to chat, jogging over to Eddie and tickling his stomach and sides.

Nora commented, "She's so good with him. Chloe babysat for us all the time when she still lived here. Eddie was sad when she moved."

Beca nodded, replying, "She loves kids...of all ages, actually. I remember always feeling like she really cared about her students, even before we got together. And she always gets so happy when she talks about her family. She loves you all a lot."

"And what about you?" Nora asked. "Any siblings?"

"Nope, just me," Beca said, her eyes still on Chloe as she played with Eddie and the two dogs. "It wasn't so bad, being an only child. I'm close with my parents, and my best friend."

Nora nodded, shooting her a smile. "What do you think of all this craziness, then. I imagine it's very different from what you're used to."

Beca laughed, turning to face her. "Yes and no. Definitely a lot more people than I'm accustomed to, but there was plenty of craziness in my house after my dad met Sheila. This is different, but it's a nice different. It's really easy to see how much they all love each other. What was it like coming in as an outsider?" she asked curiously.

"You nailed it. They were all extremely warm and welcoming. That love just extends down from Grace and Christian to CJ and the rest of them. I felt very blessed when I met CJ's family," Nora answered, smiling again as Eddie escaped Chloe's grasp and tried to run away, only making it a few steps before Shadow chased him down and accidentally tripped him. "I love your music, by the way," Nora added, trying to seem casual.

Beca blushed a little, looking down at the ground as she thanked her, unsure of exactly what to say.

Nora apologized immediately, "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable," she said sheepishly. "I just can't help but wonder what it's like, being a star?" she asked curiously.

Beca didn't meet her eyes as she answered, "It's not really all it's cracked up to be. I have no privacy, everything I do is watched and analyzed...Sometimes I don't think it's worth it, if I'm honest. But I love making music, and I've learned to accept whatever comes with it as long as I get to keep doing what I love."

She looked back up, her eyes instantly finding Chloe a short distance away. "I'm just glad Chloe accepts it, too."

"You two make a great couple," Nora complimented, her tone happy. "I'm glad you two were able to work things out. We could use another girl with all these boys around. With you and Megan, we''ll have almost caught up."

Beca laughed at that, replying, "Happy to help even the numbers."

They decided to rescue the poor dogs and give them a break, with Nora stating that Eddie needed to eat something, Beca laughed at how Zeus was sprawled out on his side, panting heavily. She whistled and called him over, grinning as he fought his exhaustion, quickly getting to his feet and running the short distance to her.

Beca crouched down to his level as he stopped in front of her, rubbing his ears and feeling how hot they were. "I'm glad you're having such a good time, but you need to cool off, dude." She looked up as Chloe approached her, followed by Nora and Eddie.

Chloe spun around, saying, "Eddie, come here, I want you to meet my friend, Beca."

Beca couldn't help but grin as the little boy happily ran forward into Chloe's arms. 'Fuck, she's going to be an amazing mom,' ran through her mind, not paying any attention to what Chloe was now saying. The thought should probably scare her, but all she could think about was how much she wanted a family with the redhead. Noticing that Eddie was now looking curiously at her, she glanced guiltily at Chloe, who rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

"Beca, this is my favorite nephew, Eddie," Chloe said, looking back at the boy. "Eddie, this is my friend, Beca. She loves dogs just like you!"

Beca met his curious stare, smiling in agreement. "Hi, Eddie! I do love dogs. I see you've made fast friends with Zeus here."

Eddie seemed to approve after that statement, breaking into a wide grin. "He's just like Shadow! Shadow's my dog. He follows me everywhere and Daddy is helping me train him. Can Zeus stay and play?"

Beca nodded, replying, "Sure, but right now he needs a break. You tired him out! I think it's time to eat anyways. Are you hungry?"

"Yes! Can I sit by you?" Eddie asked excitedly, looking to his mom. "Can I, mom? Please?"

Nora looked to Beca, before answering, "As long as you eat, you can sit anywhere you want. Don't forget to feed Shadow."

Eddie shook his head happily, saying, "I won't! Come on, Beca!"

And with that, he grabbed her hand and started tugging her toward the grill, chattering away the whole time. Beca shot a look over her shoulder, noticing she couldn't quite place Chloe's expression. She didn't have time to dwell on it though, as Eddie was telling her all about his adventures with the two dogs that morning.

* * *

It wasn't long before they all had full plates and found an open patch of grass to sit down, thankfully shaded by a nearby tree. Beca set down a large bowl of water for Zeus, and had him lay down in the shade before sitting down a few feet away. Eddie plopped down right beside Beca, carefully setting his plate in front of him. Chloe, Nora, and CJ joined them moments later, carrying more food and drinks for everyone.

Beca enjoyed getting to know CJ and Nora better, noting the differences in Chloe's oldest brother compared to the twins. He was much more reserved and calm, keeping a watchful eye over Eddie as he attacked his hot dog. Beca shouldn't have been surprised that Chloe's family was a lot like her, happy and welcoming and made her feel right at home. It did make her a little homesick for her dad and Sheila, knowing it had been too long since she'd last seen them.

As they finished eating, CJ and Nora took Eddie to get a cookie, leaving Beca and Chloe alone under the tree. She glanced over at the redhead, commenting, "This has been great, Chlo. Eddie is really cute."

Chloe slid closer, glancing around before pressing a heated kiss to her lips. "You were amazing with him. He fell in love with you in two seconds."

Beca shrugged, joking, "It's because I'm really just a giant kid myself. We get each other."

"Don't downplay it, Becs. You're great with kids," Chloe responded, her hand sliding dangerously high up Beca's thigh. "Actually, it's pretty hot..."

Beca smirked, understanding Chloe's earlier look. "Yeah?" she asked, unable to help herself from leaning closer until her lips were at Chloe's ear. "That's great, but there's no way in hell you're feeling me up in front of your parents," Beca said, quickly grabbing her girlfriend's hand and moving it off her leg.

She laughed as Chloe whined in protest, before hopping to her feet and helping the redhead up. "Come on, I want to try one of your mom's famous chocolate chip cookies."

They wandered over to the bar area that was now covered with food and surrounded by small groups of people. Beca grabbed a couple of cookies and retreated a few feet away, handing one to Chloe and taking a bite. It was delicious, of course, and she dropped her head to Chloe's shoulder, letting out a groan of happiness.

"I'm going to eat all of these," she said, straightening up and taking another bite.

Chloe laughed, agreeing with her. "Yeah, mom makes a mean cookie."

A kind looking older gentleman approached them, wrapping a delighted Chloe in a hug. Once they separated, Chloe quickly introduced him.

"Becs, this is Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, this is my girlfriend, Beca," Chloe said happily.

Beca returned his smile and shook the man's hand, saying, "It's nice to meet you!"

"Chloe, you've found a pretty one," the man said, shaking Beca's hand. "Lovely to meet you, dear. I've known this gal for years now, and anyone who can put a smile on her face that wide is okay by me."

Chloe blushed, saying, "Mr. Wilson was one of dad's clients a while ago. He's been a close family friend ever since. How are you?"

"Doin' well," he answered, nodding his head a bit. "It keeps me young, comin' to these things. How about you? How long have you two been together?"

Beca saw Chloe hesitate, sending an uncertain glance her way. Deciding to try and save her from any awkwardness, Beca answered, "A little over a month now. Maybe five weeks?" she asked lightly, smiling at Chloe.

"That sounds about right," Chloe confirmed, trying to keep the relief out of her tone.

"That's wonderful, darlin'," Mr. Wilson said, his happiness for them evident as he reached out and fondly touched Chloe's shoulder. "How did ya'll meet? Those are my favorite stories."

This time they both hesitated, exchanging a nervous look. It was unfamiliar territory for them, never having had to explain how they met before. Sure, now everything was fine, but they couldn't exactly tell people they met because Chloe was Beca's high school teacher. Beca was at a complete loss for words, and Mr. Wilson was looking curiously between them waiting for an answer.

Chloe stuttered out an answer, and Beca could tell she was making it up as she went along. "Well, um...we actually met in California. Beca is originally from San Diego...and when I moved for a different teaching job, the school happened to be there as well. So we met in California, which turned out to be funny, since Beca left soon after that to come here for work. But we didn't start dating until I came back here for the summer and we reconnected."

Mr. Wilson nodded along to Chloe's explanation. "Well ain't that a shame. So ya'll are able to spend the summer together because you don't have school?"

Chloe nodded, answering, "Yeah. We'll do the long distance thing when I have to go back in August."

"Well, I wish you the best with that," he said sincerely. "Long distance is hard, but you two seem very happy. Ya'll will have to excuse me, I'm empty," he said with a wink, holding up his empty beer bottle before strolling off towards the bar.

Beca looked over at Chloe, sighing in relief that the conversation was over. "So, that was almost super awkward," she said with a shake of her head.

"Understatement of the year," Chloe replied, sinking down into a chair. "We should probably get our story straight before we get in trouble. Oh, God, what happens when people find out I was your teacher?"

Beca frowned as Chloe hid her face in her hands, thankful for this random moment of privacy so close to the rest of the party. "Hey," she said, waiting until Chloe looked up at her before perching on her lap and wrapping an arm around the redhead's neck. "It'll be fine. We can stick with what you said. We met in California, but didn't start dating until we reconnected this summer. Perfectly legal and technically a year will have gone by...it'll be fine."

Chloe didn't look totally convinced, and Beca couldn't blame her. They had worked so hard in the past to protect Chloe and her teaching career, and Beca didn't want their relationship to ever jeopardize that. Still, she felt confident that there wasn't much anyone could do if they stuck with that story. Beca was nineteen, and while it was a little unorthodox, it was definitely legal.

"Let's go swimming," she said suddenly, standing up and taking a few steps toward the lake. Any distraction for Chloe right now was a good one.

Thankfully, Chloe smiled and nodded. "I'd be a fool to turn down a chance to see you in that bikini."

Beca smirked, retorting, "I mean...I'm pretty confident about...all this." She never forgot Chloe's words that first afternoon, and took great pleasure in quoting them back at her girlfriend, including the hand gestures.

Chloe's eyes darkened, her lips curving into a smile signaling she remembered the moment as well. "You should be," she threw back, letting her eyes linger inappropriately at the brunette's chest.

Beca bit down on her lower lip, asking, "Is there somewhere I can leave my clothes? And I also need to grab my towel from my bag..." she trailed off, her eyes flickering to the house.

Chloe was on her feet in a second, grabbing Beca's hand and leading her into the house. Beca followed her up a flight of stairs, through a gorgeous kitchen and dining room, up another flight of stairs and into a bedroom. Chloe was kissing her before the door closed, her hands quickly roaming under the plaid shirt, pushing it off her shoulders.

Beca shrugged out of the shirt, her hands moving to grip Chloe's hips and pull her closer. She pressed forward, backing Chloe into the door, sliding her hands under her girlfriend's patriotic American flag tank top and stripping it off her. Beca looked down at the dark blue bikini top complete with white stars, still showing off plenty of cleavage despite being relatively conservative.

"You're so fucking hot," Beca mumbled, unable to stop from pressing her lips to Chloe's chest, drawing out a chorus of moans.

Chloe's hands roamed over her back, tugging Beca's tank top over her head. Beca let it fall down her arms to the floor between them, kissing a trail up Chloe's neck as she made quick work of the redhead's white shorts. She groaned at the red and white striped bikini bottoms, trailing her fingers over the defined ridges of Chloe's abs.

Beca moved her fingertips lower, stroking over the top of the bikini bottoms and tracing the horizontal stripes. She was enjoying teasing her girlfriend, pulling every moan and whimper out of the redhead until finally allowing her hand to wander lower, before freezing in place.

"God, don't stop there," Chloe moaned, her hips thrusting against Beca's fingers.

Beca could have sworn she heard something, but the way Chloe was moving against her overpowered her sense of self-preservation at being caught by a member of the Beale family.

"Chlo?! Are you up there?!"

Beca jerked back, immediately putting five feet between them as Evan's voice sounded through the house. They heard him call again, his voice closer this time, and Beca forced herself to stay put, despite the pleading look Chloe was giving her.

"Bec," Chloe said, the frustration evident on her face as she took a step closer.

Before either of them could say another word, the door opened and Evan poked his head inside. "Here you are. Good, you're getting changed. We're all going out on the lake," he said, before acknowledging Beca with a smile. "Also, you'll never believe it. Megan just showed up. Mom's going to be unbearable forever," he said with a well-timed eye roll. "Hurry up!" he called, closing the door behind him and lumbering off down the stairs.

Beca let out the breath she was holding, recognizing the look on Chloe's face. "No way, Chlo...they're all waiting for us."

Chloe's eyes narrowed as she crossed the room and pushed Beca onto the bed, quickly straddling the brunette. "They can wait."

* * *

Beca draped her towel over her shoulder as she followed Chloe outside into the yard. Chloe had assured her it would be fine and that no one would notice they'd been absent, but Beca wasn't so sure. She sighed, wondering if she was just being paranoid, but felt it was justified since it was her first time meeting Chloe's parents.

Evan appeared out of nowhere as they exited the back door, commenting, "There you two are...took you a while to just get changed."

Beca flushed at the knowing look he gave them, flicking the back of Chloe's head.

"Yeah, well we'd have been out here a lot sooner if you hadn't interrupted us," Chloe grumbled in response.

CJ had walked over in time to hear that last statement, chuckling, "Or we'd have had to send a search party because you wouldn't have come back at all."

Beca knew her face was turning red, especially when Chloe's eyebrows rose at her oldest brother. "CJ, not you too. You're supposed to be on my side," she complained.

CJ shrugged, winking at Evan before replying, "I think Beca's got you covered. Or do you have her covered? Or do..."

Chloe quickly interrupted him, exclaiming, "Oh my God, you're worse than mom!"

Evan burst out laughing, as it was CJ's turn to look wounded. "Take it back! No one's worse than mom."

"Christian Junior, I heard that!" Grace's voice rang out from nearby. "And you two aren't any better!" she added, pointing at Chloe and Evan.

"Shit, she's got fucking supersonic hearing," Evan mumbled, looking more than a little guilty.

Chloe shook her head in disbelief, saying at the same time, "How the hell did she hear us?"

Grace marched over, eyes still narrowed at her children. "When will you lot learn that I am your mother, I raised you, and I will always know when you're not behaving appropriately! Now come over here and say hello to Megan. She decided to spend the holiday with us after all," she added smugly, before turning back to the small crowd around Oliver and his girlfriend.

Beca was glad her face decided to return to it's normal color, exhaling as Chloe tangled their fingers together. They walked over to the family and Beca was introduced to Megan. She was extremely pretty, about Chloe's height with blonde hair and gray-green eyes. Beca did notice that her left hand was still bare, but had to assume it wouldn't remain that way for long. Oliver seemed thrilled that she was there, and remained at her side with a wide smile glued to his face.

After a few minutes, CJ announced he was ready to take the boat out for anyone who wanted to go tubing, and that the jet skis were also available to ride. Beca and Chloe joined Evan and Nora and a few others behind him as he led the way to the dock.

Nora fell into step beside Chloe, looking around for something before saying, "Has anyone seen Eddie? He loves tubing and going out on the boat."

The group all twisted their heads back and forth looking for the small boy, and the action caused Beca to automatically look around for Zeus. Not finding him, she found herself getting a little nervous, wondering if he would run away.

Nora voiced her concern out loud, saying, "CJ, I don't see Eddie or either of the dogs. When was the last time someone saw them?"

CJ spun around, looking thoughtfully at his wife. "He went to play some more after lunch. They were running around the yard again about twenty minutes ago. He knows not to run off."

Beca was looking around until she felt her eyes drawn to one of their group, a man she hadn't met yet who was squinting in the direction of the dock. She turned to look that way also, but couldn't see anything. After a few seconds, a small, bobbing shape came into view, and she stared in disbelief at the sight.

"It couldn't be," she mumbled, starting off at a brisk pace towards the lake, quickly followed by the man.

"Is that him?" he asked, his tone humorous as if he was trying not to laugh.

Beca felt the group following them, and found herself torn between laughing hysterically at the scene in front of her and being terrified for her poor dog.

CJ sprinted past her, yelling out at the lake, "Christian Edward Beale, what on Earth do you think you're doing?!"

Beca heard the stranger beside her start to laugh as the adults finally reached the dock and fully took in the situation. She gave in as well and started laughing, shaking her head in disbelief. Eddie was sitting between the two dogs in a small, inflatable raft, all three with life jackets buckled tightly in place. They were floating close to the dock on the calm lake, and the boy was using a pool noodle as a paddle, which was proving to be ineffective.

"Oh my God," Chloe breathed, coming to a stop beside Beca and getting a good look at her nephew. "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen."

Beca had to agree, and was disappointed her phone was back in Chloe's bedroom. "Someone get a picture of this, please," she said, calming down now that she knew Eddie and the dogs were perfectly safe.

Someone snapped a few pictures as CJ dove into the water, swimming over to the boat and pulling it back to the dock. Beca started laughing again as Zeus jumped out and began wriggling to escape the life jacket. She went over to him and unsnapped the buckles, impressed with how tight Eddie had managed to get it.

"You're a trooper, dude," she said, rubbing his head.

CJ knelt down to his son's height, asking, "Eddie, why would you go out there alone? You could have floated away or gotten hurt."

Eddie had tears in his eyes as he answered, "I made sure we were all safe. You say I always have to have a life jacket on the lake, and we all had one."

Beca bit her lip to keep from laughing, and from his expression, it looked like CJ was doing the same.

"Son, you can't go out on the lake alone yet. Maybe in a few years, but you're too young right now. Okay?" he said calmly, and Beca was impressed with his smooth tone. She had been worried about Zeus running away, and could only imagine how those emotions would be magnified when talking about her own child.

Eddie nodded, and CJ wrapped his little body in a hug. "Good. Now, we're getting ready to go tubing, so keep that jacket on."

Beca glanced over at Chloe, who was smiling again at Eddie's cheerful yell. "Your brother is good with him," Beca said softly, moving closer to the redhead. "I was just thinking how I'd probably be terrified and pissed if our kid did that."

Chloe nodded, turning to meet her gaze. "CJ is more mellow...I think it's because he's the oldest. He and Will are more reserved, and the twins and I are the crazier ones. And I'd consider us lucky if that's the worst thing our kids do," she finished, giving Beca a wink.

Beca opened her mouth to respond, but thought about it for a moment and decided against it. "You might have a point there, Beale," she admitted. "No harm done, anyways."

Chloe agreed, "Nope, all are safe and the dogs are back on land where they belong. Let's go...I can't wait to go tubing. It's one of my favorite things to do out here."

"Never been," Beca replied, following Chloe to a stack of life jackets. "Do I need one of these?"

"Can you swim?" Chloe asked, looking curiously at her.

Beca nodded. "Of course I can swim."

Chloe winked at her, letting her eyes roam over Beca's body. "You'll be fine. Let's go."

* * *

It was decided; she was definitely getting a boat. Beca wrapped her towel a little tighter around her shoulders as she carefully stepped back onto the dock, still riding the high from speeding around the lake. The tubing part she could live without, but she was already looking forward to her next time out on the water. For growing up in California, she'd spent very little time at the beach or out on the water, her dad preferring to take her on trips to cities or the mountains to experience winter. Ben and Sheila both loved to ski, and Beca could hold her own on a snowboard.

Beca admittedly felt shortchanged after that experience, and was already working through her schedule in her head to find the time to come back before the summer ended. Getting to see Chloe in a bikini was reason enough to make the effort, ending up off the tube and in the water more than once due to her wandering eyes. It was harder than she imagined, especially when CJ really hit the throttle, whipping them from side to side until one or both fell off. Beca had much more fun watching other people do their best to hold on as he picked up speed, bouncing over the waves like their arms would give out any second.

They'd been out on the water for an hour, and Beca was ready to relax a bit before dinner. Her arms were already feeling a little shaky, and she wondered if she'd be sore the next day. Deciding she wasn't quite done with the water yet, she headed for the pool and tossed the towel onto a nearby lounge chair. Before she could get in, two arms circled her waist from behind.

Beca grinned, twisting her head around to see her girlfriend and asked, "Want to get in? I was gonna cool off a little."

Chloe pressed a kiss to her shoulder, asking, "Why would you want to do that?"

"Always with the questions," Beca sighed, faking annoyance as she stepped away from Chloe and slid smoothly into the shallow water. It felt amazingly cool and refreshing, and Beca immediately sunk down to submerge her shoulders.

Chloe hopped in after her, slowly moving towards her through the water. "I know how much you like it when I answer your question with a question, so..." she trailed off teasingly.

Beca rolled her eyes, her tone playful as she replied, "Oh yeah, it's my favorite." She waited until Chloe was closer before continuing, "Thanks for inviting me, and introducing me to your family, Chlo. This has been a lot of fun."

Chloe shot her that special smile, the one that made Beca's knees weak. "Thanks for taking them all on at once...it definitely would have been less traumatic one at a time. They love you already."

"There's still plenty of time left for me to change that," Beca joked, earning a small splash to the face.

She wiped her eyes as Chloe said, "I think someone missed you."

Beca looked around to see Zeus pacing at the edge of the pool, his eyes darting from her, to the water between them, side to side, and back to her. She laughed, saying, "Hey, bud. What's wrong?"

Zeus whined, pacing back and forth a couple times before stopping and looking at her again.

Beca shook her head, making her way to the edge of the pool. She held her fingers up to him and he licked at the water, before laying down at the pool's edge.

"Guess I've neglected him long enough for one day," Beca said, climbing out of the pool. "Can I grab a quick shower inside?" she asked, as Chloe moved toward the ladder.

"Yeah, my room has a bathroom attached. He can come with us to get inside for a few minutes," Chloe answered, wrapping her towel around her waist.

Beca nodded, doing the same. "He also needs to eat dinner. I've got his food in my bag." At the mention of food, Zeus perked up, looking hopefully at her with his tail wagging. "Are you hungry, Zeus?" she asked, laughing as he excitedly jumped to his feet.

Grace was moving around the pool area, grabbing the last of the used cups and plates. "Do you girls want to shower before dinner? Christian is about to heat the grill back up," she said, smiling at Beca.

Beca nodded. "That'd be great. Do you need any help, though?" she offered, leaning down and starting to stack the empty cups around her.

Grace looked scandalized, immediately taking the cups from her hands, insisting, "Oh, honey, absolutely not. You are too sweet, but you're our guest! You go on inside with Chloe."

Chloe smiled, grabbing Beca's hand. "Don't argue with her, Becs. You won't win."

Grace made a shooing motion at them, and Beca gave in. She turned to follow Chloe, snapping her fingers and saying, "Come, Zeus." The dog was instantly at her heels, following a step behind her.

Grace's eyebrows rose, commenting, "That's incredible. Did you train him?"

Beca spun around to face the older woman, answering, "Sort of. He was pretty well trained when I rescued him, so it didn't take long before he responded to me."

"You could probably teach Shadow a thing or two," Grace chuckled. "Lord knows that dog is a wild one. A sweetheart, but not trained at all. Anyhow, you two get goin'. Dinner will be ready soon."

Beca turned back to Chloe who was patiently waiting, and followed her inside.

* * *

An hour later, Beca found herself squeezed into a spot between Chloe and Evan as Christian set a giant platter of grilled chicken in the center of the table beside a steaming casserole dish of homemade macaroni and cheese. Grace came up a moment later with a large basket full of warm rolls, before taking her place next to her husband.

The other guests had left as the sun slipped lower in the sky, leaving only the Beale family plus Beca and Megan for dinner. There was still plenty of light left, and Grace had insisted they could all fit around the outdoor table near the pool if they added on a large folding table. Everyone had chipped in to help cook or set the table, and although elbow room was at a premium, Beca wasn't surprised at all to find that Grace had been correct.

Oliver quickly stood up and cleared his throat, looking nervously around at his family until everyone was silent. Beca held back a laugh as Chloe grabbed her arm excitedly, and she knew the redhead was holding in her own squeals of happiness for her brother.

"I was going to wait until later tonight, but I think I've waited long enough," he started, before turning his gaze to his girlfriend.

"Understatement," Grace pitched in, resulting in laughs around the table.

Oliver gave her an exasperated look, replying, "Thank you, mom." He pushed his chair back and got down on one knee in front of Megan, and Beca saw she had tears in her eyes as he pulled the small box out of his pocket and opened it. "Meg, I'm sorry I waited so long. I knew the moment I met you that I could marry you, and found that if you wait for the right time...well, there isn't a right time. I love you more than anything. Will you marry me?"

By the end of his speech, Beca felt a tear fall from her own eye, and didn't have to look at Chloe to know that she was also crying. She could tell by the vice grip on her upper arm. Glancing around the table, Beca saw Grace was similarly clutching to Christian, who looked so proud of his son he might burst.

Megan didn't keep him waiting, wiping at her own eyes as she nodded. Her voice was thick with emotion as she managed a quick "Yes," before Oliver slipped the ring on her finger and stood, wrapping her in a tight hug.

The family all cheered happily, clapping and celebrating the newly engaged couple as they shared a kiss. Hugs and congratulations were exchanged before everyone returned to their seats and starting passing food around the table. Beca glanced at Chloe, who was still dabbing at her eyes with her napkin.

"You okay there, Beale?" Beca asked, nudging her shoulder playfully.

Chloe nodded, sniffling one last time. "Just happy for them," she answered, finally taking the basket of rolls from Beca and putting one on her plate.

Dinner was relaxed and happy, and Beca couldn't believe how at home she felt with Chloe's family. It was easy to see why Chloe was the way she was, especially after experiencing how happy and loving her family was. Their love for each other was so obvious, and Beca felt privileged to be a part of it for a day. She could easily see herself fitting in with this family, and was glad the thought didn't scare her, but instead excited her. She could picture one day proposing to Chloe, and knew that when that day came Chloe's family would shower both of them in love and support, just like her own parents would.

Beca reached for Chloe's hand under the table, lacing their fingers together and giving it a quick squeeze. When Chloe looked at her, she quietly whispered, "I love you."

Chloe leaned in and quickly kissed her cheek. "Love you too, baby."

Once everyone was happily eating, Grace broke the silence. "So, when's the wedding?!"

Oliver could only shake his head, answering, "Mom, we literally got engaged ten minutes ago. Give us a minute to just enjoy it."

"Nonsense," Grace waved that answer away. "Megan, honey, when are you thinking? Winter? Next spring or summer?"

Oliver cut in, saying, "Just ignore her, babe."

Megan rolled her eyes, and Beca liked her even more in that moment as she said, "Ollie, be nice to your mother. Grace, I was thinking next spring. The real question is where. Ollie and I met in New York, you all live here, my family is in Florida, and we're about to move to California."

Beca thought that sounded like a mess, and felt anxious for them. She was beyond glad she and Chloe didn't have to cross that bridge for a while.

Grace hummed thoughtfully, leaving Evan room to give his opinion. "Well, Megan you know you're getting me too, right? It's a twin thing...two for one deal."

"No," Oliver said emphatically, shaking his head. "Definitely not. And I kinda thought we would elope..."

Beca muffled her laughter as Grace reacted to that statement.

"Oliver Cyrus Beale you will do no such thing!"

Christian laid a hand on his wife's arm, his calm voice settling her down. "Oliver, don't deprive your mother of attending your wedding. I'll have to hear about it until the end of time."

"If she doesn't have a heart attack from just the thought of it," Evan joked, earning himself a glare.

"Christian, you're supposed to be a good influence on your sons," Grace accused.

The man laughed and shook his head, countering, "I can't just start being a positive role model now, after years of letting them break the rules."

Nora came to Grace's rescue, addressing Megan, "You don't want to elope, right?"

Megan shook her head no. "No way. My mom would kill me. Don't worry, Grace, there will definitely be a wedding."

"Well, that settles that," Oliver said, shooting a loving smile at his fiance. "The woman wants a wedding, so that's what she'll get."

CJ spoke up, saying, "Bro, you have no idea what you just agreed to."

"Nope, but I can remain in denial for at least a few months, right?" Oliver shot back, his tone full of humor.

CJ opened his mouth to speak, but a jab from his wife had him saying, "I mean, it's the best decision you'll ever make. You'll never regret it...ever. Not once..."

Chloe laughed when Nora elbowed his side again, which unfortunately attracted CJ's attention as he rubbed his side.

"Dunno what you're laughing at Chlo...I haven't even gotten started telling Beca all about your adventures, like the time when..."

Chloe immediately cut him off, saying, "Nope, we're celebrating Ollie and Megan tonight! I refuse to take the spotlight off the happy couple."

CJ ignored her, turning to Beca. "Once, when Chlo was little, she insisted she was ready to get married. She made us all get dressed up and attend her wedding out in the backyard."

Beca chuckled as Chloe turned bright red beside her, asking, "Who was the groom?"

Christian interjected, happily raising his hand. "The honor was mine," he said proudly. "It was touch and go at first, but Grace reluctantly approved of a five minute ceremony."

"I hate you so much," Chloe said, blushing furiously.

Evan jumped in right after his brother, cracking up as he said, "Or the time Ollie and I taught you right words to Jingle Bells right before your Christmas concert!"

Oliver broke into laughter as Chloe hid her face in her hands. He took a deep breath and explained, "When Chloe was in second grade, her class sang Jingle Bells at the Christmas concert. Ev and I told her that everyone knows the real version is the Batman one."

Beca's eyes widened as she realized what he was talking about. "You mean...jingle bells, batman smells..." she trailed off, breaking into a huge grin as the twins nodded, confirming her thoughts.

Evan continued happily, "Chlo could always sing, even when she was little. So she sings it super loud so everyone can hear, and next thing we knew, the whole class was singing it over and over in the little auditorium. Everyone was laughing, even dad..."

"Except me," Grace interrupted firmly, letting her eyes fall on each of her sons before landing on her husband, who to his credit looked slightly guilty.

"It was funny," he shrugged, clearly trying to keep from laughing at the memory.

Grace rolled her eyes at his words. "Fine example you all set for your little sister," she said, addressing her sons. "And your daughter," she added, staring pointedly at Christian.

Beca couldn't help joining in the laughter, picturing Chloe up there proudly singing the joke version of Jingle Bells. One glace to her left, sobered her a bit, hiding her amusement behind a fit of coughing.

"Are you finished?" Chloe asked, directing the question at CJ.

"Not even close," CJ answered, still chuckling a bit. "Once at our other brother Will's orchestra recital, Chloe walked straight to the front of the room and started dancing in front of everyone."

Chloe shook her head, saying, "Oh my God, enough!"

Beca grinned looking over at her girlfriend. "Seems like you were a cute kid," she said, resting her hand on Chloe's thigh.

"I was adorable," Chloe defended. "And ridiculous, and everything else that comes with being the only girl surrounded by boys with cooties."

Each of her brothers proudly raised their hand at that comment, also verbally acknowledging in some way that they did, in fact, have cooties.

Grace sighed in defeat at the proud look on her husband's face, saying, "Hopeless. It's a miracle ya'll turned out so well, honestly. The shenanigans ya'll got up to would have destroyed weaker parents."

Christian looked at his wife, and Beca could only hope Chloe looked at her with such love after the number of years her parents had been together. "You mean it's a miracle we had you to keep us all straight," he complimented, slipping his hand in hers.

"Flattery will not get you out of the fifty-foot deep grave you spent the last ten minutes digging, Mr. Beale," Grace huffed, but Beca noticed she didn't pull her hand away.

Christian nodded, accepting her fake anger. "Alright boys, you heard your mother. Help clean up while the ladies sit and supervise."

He immediately rose and began clearing plates off the table, clearing his throat sternly when none of his sons moved to get up. Beca held back more laughter as all three men immediately jumped to their feet, grabbing the nearest dish. Beca looked questioningly at Chloe, wondering if she should help, but Chloe subtly shook her head.

"This is the punishment for teasing the girls. Been happening in our house for years, since not even dad can help himself most of the time," she whispered, letting Beca know that no one was really in trouble.

Before long, the table was cleared of all food and everyone but Christian had returned to their seat. The man appeared soon after, and Beca's eyes were drawn to two cases he was carrying.

"I'd say sorry for putting you on the spot, but in all honesty, I'm not that sorry," he said good naturedly, setting one of the cases next to her chair. "We won't force you, but I think we would all love to hear you play. CJ or I can accompany you, if that helps."

Beca smiled at the guitar case, wondering if she should have seen this coming.

Chloe apparently hadn't, as she said, "You don't have to, Becs. You're not at work."

"It's okay, Chlo. I'd be happy to," she agreed, to happy cheers around the table.

Beca pushed her chair back from the table, gently laying the case on the ground and opening it. She was stunned to see a beautiful guitar, carefully removing it and slipping the strap over her head. Letting her fingers strum a few chords to get used to the feel and sound, she quickly ran through some songs in her mind. Naturally, the only songs she could think of were ones from her new album, and thus not really appropriate for the situation.

Beca looked over at Oliver and Megan, asking, "Any requests? Do you guys have a special song?"

They were no help, as they both shook their heads no. Megan answered, "Not really. We both love your music, though. Maybe you've got one for us?"

'Perfect,' Beca thought, humming and looking down at the guitar. Forcing her thoughts back to when she and Chloe were happy, the song popped into her head.

"Might have one for you," she said with a smile, starting to play the slow tune. "It's not exactly finished, but I can put it back on the table if you like it."

Beca frowned at first, recognizing it the second she played the wrong chord. Pausing, she closed her eyes and hummed the melody softly, opening them again and starting over. She started with the chorus, feeling more confident about those lyrics than the few simple lines she was going to try and pass off as verses.

 

_You're the reason I come home_

_You're the reason I come home, my love_

_You're the reason that when everything I know falls apart_

_You're the reason I come home_

 

She was remembering the lyrics more clearly now, feeling the familiar calm that settled over her when she immersed herself in music. It was her favorite thing in the world, more than her family, Chloe, or even Zeus. The peace that came over her was indescribable, and Beca smiled in a moment of pure joy before softly singing a verse.

 

_Watching you, watching me_

_A fine way to fall asleep_

_The neighbors fight, as we both rest our eyes_

 

She played a few more notes before continuing on, oblivious to the other people watching in awe around the table.

 

_The tragedies of chemistry_

_People dream of what you and me have found...effortlessly_

_You're the reason I come home_

 

She continued singing the chorus, the song slow and rhythmic and comforting. Beca looked up to see Megan and Oliver dancing, smiling as they swayed a few feet away from the table lost in their own world. Not wanting to ruin the moment, she improvised a solo, humming gently along with the music.

Beca looked next to Chloe, giving her a wink at the familiar expression on her girlfriend's face. Unable to prolong the song any more, she sang the chorus once more, before playing through the ending. There was silence after she finished, no one wanting to be the first to end the moment.

Megan finally looked away from Oliver, meeting Beca's eyes. "That was amazing. You said it's not finished, though?"

Beca shook her head, answering, "No, I lost inspiration for that one. I can finish it for you and Oliver, if you'd like."

The couple exchanged a look, before Megan answered, "I love that. If it's not too much trouble."

Oliver turned to her as well, adding, "I think we'd both love for that to be our first dance. It's a beautiful song, Beca."

Grace leaned forward on table, asking, "Would you play another? Doesn't have to be one of yours, anything is great."

Beca grinned, perching on the edge of her chair and strumming the familiar opening chords to Bless the Broken Road. She laughed at Chloe's happy squeal, purposely choosing that song because she knew Chloe would sing along. Beca was surprised when the twins joined in, their low voices smoothly blending with Chloe's higher tone.

When the song ended, Beca was taken aback when Christian flipped open the second case and pulled out another guitar. He smiled at Grace, before addressing Beca.

"Do you know "It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw?" he asked, already playing the beginning notes.

Beca shook her head, answering, "No. Would you play a bit for me?"

Christian looked at her curiously, before nodding. "Sure. Sadly, I can't sing at all, but that's what I've got sons for," he joked. "Grace has loved it ever since it came out, so I learned how to play it."

Beca smiled at his thoughtfulness, knowing that's exactly what she'd done for Chloe. She listened closely to the notes, watching his fingers move over the strings. After a minute she joined in flawlessly, the surprise evident on the older Beale's face. She glanced at Chloe, who was sporting a similar expression of shock.

"Prodigy," she said with a smirk, as Evan began to sing.

Christian realized that Beca had the melody covered and passed the guitar to his oldest son, before asking Grace to dance. Beca grinned at the sight of the couple, still so in love. Oliver and Megan joined them, with Evan holding up an invisible microphone as he serenaded both pairs.

Chloe moved behind Beca, leaning down and draping her arms around the brunette's neck. "You're pretty incredible. Have I ever told you that?"

Beca chuckled, replying, "You were delivering some pretty high praise earlier this evening."

Chloe moved her lips right next to Beca's ear, whispering, "Just wait 'til I get you alone tonight. I hope you don't plan on sleeping...you know what watching you play does to me."

Beca swallowed, barely managing to not lose focus on the song. "Got you a little worked up there, Beale?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady as Chloe's fingers began to trace gentle patterns below her neck and across her collarbone.

"Soaked."

Beca shuddered, wondering how Chloe could make her voice sound like pure sex. It wasn't fair at all. Thankfully, Evan ended the song and Beca stopped playing, gently returning the guitar to the case.

Christian looked around at the family, asking, "Who's ready for fireworks?!"

The twins stood up and cheered loudly, taking off into the darkness in the direction of the dock with their father trailing behind. Grace left the table to duck back inside the house, returning a minute or two later with a stack of blankets.

"CJ, would you bring some extra chairs up to the top of the dock, please?" she asked, passing the blankets out.

Chloe accepted one for the both of them as they stood, Beca stretching her arms before looking around for Zeus. She grinned spotting him passed out on his side next to Shadow, with Eddie leaning against his dog tapping away at an iPad screen.

Nora approached him, asking, "Eddie, are you ready for fireworks?"

The little boy looked up excitedly, handing over the tablet as he exclaimed, "Yes! I love fireworks!"

Beca couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm, amazed at his seemingly never-ending supply of energy. "Is he always like this?" she asked Chloe, her eyes still on the boy.

Chloe shook her head, answering, "No, he's just extra wound up because the family is all here. He's an active kid, but this is a special occasion."

Beca nodded as they walked to the dock, carefully climbing the ladder to the top area for the show. Chloe laid the blanket down on the wood as they sat down, the rest of the family finding seats in folding chairs or on the deck next to them.

"Where do they set the fireworks off?" Beca asked curiously, spotting several flashlight beams off to the side where she imagined water should be.

Grace answered, "There is a bit of land off that way that juts out over the water. There aren't any trees or anything nearby, so it's relatively safe. As safe as fireworks can be," she added, not sounding terribly pleased.

Chloe added, "Mom says every year that one of them is gonna lose a hand."

"And they always tell me I'm worrying for nothing, and that they're very careful," Grace took over, shaking her head.

CJ piped up, "And every year it goes off smoothly and everyone is fine. Dad has been setting off fireworks for years. He knows what he's doing."

Grace made an unconvinced noise, still looking out in the direction of the flashlight beams. Suddenly they all turned toward the dock, making Beca avert her gaze out over the lake.

"Okay, they're about to start," CJ said, his voice rising with excitement as Eddie squirmed happily in his lap.

Chloe maneuvered behind Beca, and she gratefully leaned back into her girlfriend's embrace. The show did indeed start a few seconds later, the sky brightening with the colorful explosions. Chloe rested her chin on Beca's shoulder, her arms moving to wrap around her waist.

"I love you," Chloe murmured into Beca's ear, holding her close.

Beca sighed happily as she watched the fireworks, feeling safe and content in Chloe's arms. The sky was alive with the different types of fireworks, Beca particularly loving the ones that seemed to fizzle and sparkle like a lot of mini fireworks. She was impressed as the show continued on for about five minutes, for some reason expecting it to be short.

"How long will they go?" she asked Chloe, turning her head slightly.

Chloe shrugged, replying, "Ten...maybe fifteen minutes? Dad gets bolder every year, especially since the twins started helping him."

"Damn," Beca breathed, as the sky turned red, white, and blue with a deafening sound. "I like that one."

She was just getting used to the pops and bangs when there was a moment of quiet. Looking around, in the dim light of the dock's lamps, she saw confusion on Grace and CJ's faces.

"Something's wrong," Grace said, inching forward on her chair trying to see into the darkness.

Suddenly a firework shot out low across the lake, followed closely by a second one. Both ended up in the water before they could explode, but Beca was instantly on alert. They weren't that far away from where the fireworks were being lit, not to mention Christian, Evan, and Oliver could only be feet away.

As if on cue, the next firework shot the opposite direction. Beca saw a shape dive to the ground, accompanied by a simultaneous shout.

"I knew it," Grace said worriedly, now on her feet as she looked toward her husband and sons. "Can you see them?"

Before anyone could answer fireworks were spraying in all directions, including right at their dock. Megan and Nora screamed as CJ quickly lunged for Grace, tackling her to the floor. A shot of light zipped past the dock, and Beca felt the fear hit her as Chloe rolled them over, trying to stay as low as possible. A shot of pain ripped through her arm as they hit the deck's railing, but she ignored it and clung tightly to her girlfriend.

As soon as the panic began, it was over. Quiet filled the air, and Beca swore her heart had never beat faster or louder.

"What the hell just happened?" Chloe asked in disbelief, her voice still a little shaky.

CJ scolded her, saying, "Chlo, language! Is everyone okay?"

There were quiet answers and confirmations around the top of the dock, and Beca felt relieved that no one seemed to be seriously hurt. Chloe moved off her, allowing her to see the rest of the family slowly sitting up around them. CJ was now untangling himself from Nora and Eddie, apparently pulling them down after he'd gotten his mother. Megan was nearby as well, sitting up from where she had been lying flat against the floor.

Chloe gasped, drawing her attention to her girlfriend. "Chlo, are you okay?" she asked nervously, looking over every inch to see if she could spot an injury.

"Oh my God! Beca, look at your arm!" Chloe said, her hands shaking as she pointed at Beca's right forearm.

Beca glanced down to see her arm covered in blood from elbow to just above her wrist from a deep, jagged cut. Her eyes went wide as she looked at Chloe's hands, red with blood. Her blood.

"Shit," she whispered, suddenly feeling a little dizzy.

Nora was at her side instantly, saying, "Let me see that. I'm a nurse."

Beca turned her gaze away and quickly took off her plaid shirt, using it to try and remove some of the blood so Nora could get a better look. The woman quickly examined her arm, before asking someone to shine their phone light at the deck nearby. Chloe complied, and it didn't take long to find the red smears on the railing.

"When was your last tetanus shot?" Nora asked, pointing at a rusted over nail sticking out of part of the railing. Beca looked at her blankly, and the woman said, "Looks like you'll need a booster then. Some stitches too...this is pretty deep." She wrapped Beca's shirt tightly around the cut, instructing her to keep applying pressure until it stopped bleeding.

Before Beca could protest, voices sounded from below that drew everyone's attention.

"Are ya'll alright up there?" Christian shouted, his voice anxious.

Grace poked her head over the railing, answering, "Yes! Beca hurt her arm, but we're mostly okay. What about you and the boys?"

Christian answered, "Evan and I got burned throwing the rest of them into the lake. Ollie's okay, but we need to get Evan to the hospital."

Nora joined in the conversation, adding, "Beca needs to go as well. She'll need to get this cleaned and stitched, and get a tetanus shot."

Grace looked over at her, distraught as she said, "Beca, honey, I'm so sorry! This is the last time those fools ever set of fireworks..."

Beca replied, "It's okay, really. I'm fi..."

Chloe cut her off, saying, "Do not say you're fine. If Nora says you need stitches...you need them. Let's go."

* * *

Beca sat uneasily on the hospital bed in her tank top as the nurse washed and cleaned the cut. The nail had dug deeper than she'd realized, looking away as the dizziness returned. She'd finally gotten her heart rate down from when they'd taken her back to this room, and she didn't want the nurse to ask her any more uncomfortable questions. The sooner she got her arm stitched up, the sooner she could leave.

"You alright, hun?" the nurse asked, giving her a concerned look.

"Yeah, sorry...I'm fine," Beca mumbled, avoiding looking back down at her arm, which was currently resting in a pile of white gauze in a metal tray, propped up on a sort of adjustable shelf the nurse had attached to the side of her bed. She was trying to avoid looking at how red most of the gauze had become since the woman had started cleaning the cut. "Do you have any idea how the two men I came with are? Christian and Evan Beale?"

The nurse went back to cleaning the cut, answering apologetically, "I'm sorry, I don't know. And I can't discuss patients with non-family members."

She finally finished her task, throwing all of the used gauze into a bright red trashcan and replacing it with some fresh pads so Beca's arm didn't touch the cold metal. "That looks pretty nasty, so I'm going to get one of our doctors to stitch you up. I'll be right back."

Beca called out before she could leave, "Can you see if my girlfriend is here? Chloe Beale?"

"Sure, hun. I'll see if I can find her," the nurse said with a smile, before exiting the room.

Beca sighed in relief as less than two minutes later Chloe came bursting into the room, going immediately to her side.

"Are you okay, baby?!" she asked anxiously, looking at her as if she might die any second.

"I'm fine," Beca said stiffly, trying to give Chloe a reassuring smile. "I mean, it's just a cut."

Chloe studied her carefully, before perching on the edge of the bed and taking Beca's good hand in both of her own. "I'm sorry, that just scared the shit out of me. You seem tense, Becs...are you sure you're okay?"

"How are your dad and Evan?" Beca asked, quickly changing the subject. She knew that Evan had been in a lot of pain on the ride to the hospital, with both hands wrapped in cool, damp towels.

"Dad is fine, just a few minor burns. Mom is with Evan, and we haven't gotten an update yet. Nora told me it didn't look good though," Chloe answered nervously. "He's supposed to start his surgery program in two months...he needs his hands."

Beca fell silent, having completely forgotten about Evan's career choice. She wondered how it would feel to not be able to do what she loved. Evan injuring his hands would be like her losing her hearing, and just the thought had her heart racing again. She closed her eyes, blocking out the view of the hospital room and attempted to even out her breathing, hearing the door open a moment later.

"How are...Ms. Mitchell are you okay?" the voice turned from happy to serious in a second, causing her to snap her eyes open immediately.

"Sorry, I'm fine," Beca said, though she was feeling dizzy again.

"Okay," the doctor said patiently, stretching the word out as if she didn't believe Beca at all. "How do you feel?"

Beca hated being patronized, and finally looked over at the woman. "Fine."

The woman chuckled, moving to her side as she said, "Sure. Now how about we try an honest answer?"

Beca's brow furrowed in annoyance, before admitting, "I'm a little dizzy. And tired."

"Better. I'm Dr. Thomas," she said, her eyes watching Beca carefully before focusing on her arm.

Beca didn't respond, taking a moment to study the woman. She was much younger than Beca thought any doctor had a right to be, with brown eyes and hair twisted up in a messy bun. Beca glanced over at Chloe, who seemed none too thrilled about the way the woman was currently examining Beca's arm.

Looking back up, the doctor smiled at Chloe and extended her hand, saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. Dr. Thomas."

"Chloe Beale," Chloe answered with a tight smile, returning the handshake.

"Pleasure to meet you," Dr. Thomas replied cheerfully, before turning her attention back to Beca. "Okay, Ms. Mitchell, that's going to need stitches. How'd this happen?"

Beca explained the fireworks incident, and how she caught her arm on a nail protruding from the deck railing.

"Right, that'll explain the note about a tetanus booster," the doctor said, flipping quickly through her chart.

"You seem kinda young to be a doctor," Beca said, her eyes studying the woman.

Dr. Thomas set down her chart and met her gaze. "You seem kinda young to be a multi-million dollar recording artist and DJ. Call it even?"

"Valid, but I'm not sticking anyone with a needle," Beca retorted, feeling disappointed that the doctor recognized her.

Dr. Thomas gave her a curious smile. "You've got two options here. I can stitch you up and you'll barely have a scar, or I can try to find someone who fits your vision of an appropriately aged doctor while you wait. Up to you."

Beca smirked at her response, finally deciding she liked the woman. "Okay, doc. Poke away," she relented, shifting her arm slightly on it's pillow of gauze and closed her eyes.

"Ms. Mitchell, I'd like to run a few tests, if that's alright," Dr. Thomas continued, looking over her chart again. "Just to make sure there's nothing behind that dizziness and fatigue."

"I'd love to meet someone in my line of work who isn't tired," Beca scoffed, keeping her eyes closed.

Chloe finally spoke up, addressing Beca. "Becs, come on. What could it hurt just to be sure?"

Beca looked over at Chloe, sighing at the redhead's concerned expression. "Okay, Chlo." She turned back to the doctor, nodding her consent for the additional tests.

Dr. Thomas smiled and thanked her, leaving for a short moment to find a nurse. Beca groaned, giving Chloe a frustrated look.

"I'm gonna be here all night, Chlo," she complained, agitated as her arm was starting to throb painfully. She glanced uncomfortably around the room, instantly hating the soft blue walls decorated with a few happy posters. There was nothing happy about this place.

Chloe leaned over and gave her a kiss, still holding onto her other hand. Beca sighed, distracted at the way Chloe's lips moved against her own. She frowned when her girlfriend pulled back, leaning up and kissing her again before another spell of dizziness forced her to lay back down.

"Bec," Chloe said nervously, watching her like a hawk.

"I'm just tired, Chlo," Beca said, unconcerned. "And I've lost a bit of blood," she joked, trying and failing to put a smile on the redhead's face.

"Too soon," Chloe said, not amused.

Beca mumbled, "I thought it was funny."

Chloe gave her a look, saying, "You know what wasn't funny? The way that doctor was looking at you."

"You're gonna get jealous right now?" Beca asked incredulously, meeting Chloe's eyes and finding them full of warning.

Suddenly, the door opened and Dr. Thomas returned, followed by the same nurse from earlier. Beca looked away as the nurse quickly drew some blood for the tests and left, leaving them alone with the doctor again.

"First, here's something to numb the area," she said, wiping a spot with an alcohol swab and gave Beca a quick shot in her forearm. She wiped another alcohol swab on her upper arm and picked up a different syringe, continuing, "And while we let that work, here is your tetanus booster."

Beca cringed as she jabbed the needle into her shoulder, wondering if she could sue the woman for excessive force. She forced the mounting negative thoughts aside, instead picturing Zeus' happy face in her mind.

"Sorry, that's standard for that shot," Dr. Thomas apologized, pressing a small gauze square to her skin. "Hold that for me while I get the suture kit."

Beca held the patch over her arm for a minute while the doctor prepped for her stitches. "Are you good?" Beca asked nervously.

Dr. Thomas winked at her, answering, "The best. If all goes well, you'll barely have a scar."

Beca felt a bit more relaxed at her words, and joked in an attempt to calm her pounding heart, "What if I want a scar?"

"Tell me now," the doctor replied, adjusting the height of her arm slightly. "And I'll be sure to make a few mistakes."

"Seriously?" Beca asked, wondering if that was even allowed.

"No," the woman deadpanned, before letting out a soft laugh. "Ready?"

Beca swallowed, looking at Chloe and squeezing her hand tightly. Chloe gave her a reassuring smile, moving closer to her. "Yeah, let's get this show on the road, doc."

* * *

A hour later, Beca was studying her arm's current impersonation of Frankenstein. Dr. Thomas carefully wrapped her entire forearm in gauze, before covering the whole area with a special compression sleeve.

"Okay, no getting those stitches wet. Come back in two weeks to get them removed," she said, handing over a set of instructions.

As Beca took the card and nodded her understanding, the nurse returned handing the doctor a few pieces of paper.

"Hmm, you're anemic. Have you been getting enough sleep lately? Hydrating and eating well?" Dr. Thomas asked, looking mildly concerned.

Beca shrugged, answering, "Yeah, for the most part. Sometimes I don't sleep well. What does that mean, exactly?"

Dr. Thomas flipped through her chart again, answering easily, "It means you've got a low red blood cell count. Those are the ones that carry oxygen through your body. It does say here that you stated that cut bled substantially, which could explain for the low count."

Chloe asked nervously, "Could it be from something else? Is she okay?"

Dr. Thomas answered smoothly, "I don't have any reason to think it's something else at this time. The fatigue and dizziness could be symptoms, and both should decrease over the next few days. I can always run further tests to rule out any other possibilities, if that's something you would like."

Beca shook her head no, saying, "Chlo, I'm fine. Look, perfectly fine, and I'm ready to go home."

Chloe wasn't convinced. "Becs, what if something's really wrong? What harm could more tests do?"

"I said I'm fine!" Beca snapped, finally having enough. She sighed as Chloe's eyes narrowed at her, knowing this wasn't going to end well.

"I'm glad," Chloe said, dropping her hand and moving to the door. "I'll go check on Evan then, since you're just fine."

Beca ran her good hand through her hair, looking from the door back to the doctor. "Well, fuck," she said, shaking her head as Dr. Thomas gave her a sympathetic smile. "Can you just call me with the other results? I really just want to go home and get some sleep without digging that grave any deeper."

Dr Thomas nodded. "Of course. I'll put in the order and have the nurse bring your discharge paperwork and a prescription for pain medicine. I'm also going to recommend you keep that arm in a sling until you get the stitches out. It'll greatly lessen the chance of ripping them out." She moved to the door before spinning back around, adding, "My apologies, but someone must have found out you were here and informed the press. There's a group gathered outside the entrance to the emergency room. If you'd prefer, we can have someone escort you out a private exit."

Beca sighed, laying back against the bed and pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Yeah, let me just ruin someone else's night," she said sadly, dialing Isaac's number and waiting as it started to ring.

* * *

Beca's eyes shot open at the sound of banging on her door, feeling nauseous for a second as she got her bearings. When the banging didn't stop, she crawled out of bed awkwardly with her arm stuck in the sling and stumbled down the hallway to the door.

"This better be good," she mumbled, pulling the door open and freezing at the sight of her extraordinarily pissed off girlfriend holding tightly to Zeus' leash.

Chloe brushed past her, keeping Zeus from jumping on her injured arm. The redhead spun quickly on her heel, giving her a glare before starting to rant. "Are you fucking kidding me, Beca? You just left? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Beca interrupted her, saying, "I texted you…" but trailed off at the redhead's glare.

"A text telling me you're going home is ridiculous," Chloe retorted, still fuming. "What about my family? We were all worried about you and you just left. What about Zeus? Did you think about anyone but yourself?!"

"I couldn't stay there!" Beca shouted back, her voice breaking as tears forming in her eyes at the thought alone. She felt a tightening in her chest, forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths.

Thankfully, Chloe fell silent as she struggled to control her breathing, suddenly thankful that Zeus was there with her. She instantly moved to his side, placing her good hand on his head and instantly feeling calmer.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked, her voice surprisingly neutral after being filled with such anger only moments before.

Beca looked up at her, her voice quiet as she answered, "I don't like hospitals. I…the last time I was in a hospital was with my mom."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Becs, I'm sorry…I didn't realize…"

"It's okay, I didn't tell you," Beca said quickly, not wanting to fight. "I'm sorry I left, Chlo. It was a real dick move. I swear I was going to call you first thing in the morning and come back for my car and Zeus. I knew he was in good hands with Nora and Oliver and Megan, and I just needed to get outta there. And then when Dr. Thomas told me the press was outside waiting for me, I...I couldn't…." she trailed off, looking down at the floor. "I called Isaac and they let me leave through a private exit. I'm really sorry," she said sincerely, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

Chloe moved to her, wrapping the brunette in a tight hug. "I love you," she whispered, being cautious of Beca's injured arm.

"I love you, too," Beca replied, burying her face in Chloe's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I pushed you to get those extra tests," Chloe said softly, her hand rubbing gently over the brunette's back. "I just got you back...I don't want to lose you."

Beca sighed again, answering, "I told the doc to run the tests after you left. But, don't worry, Beale…I'm not going anywhere without you.

"Except on tour for four months," Chloe mumbled, though there was a hint of humor in her tone.

Beca chuckled, "Yeah, except that. Stay with me tonight?" she asked hopefully.

Chloe smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Congrats if you made it to the end of that! Special thanks/shout outs to my betas, Ravenclawsome33 and Arsto! You two are the best!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's still following along on this journey with me! I'm doing my absolute best to get chapters out, but life/work is literally at its busiest right now. Also coming up on that special 1-year anniversary, as well as the hubby's birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! Exciting times, so I appreciate your patience if it takes a little longer.
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who continues to leave kudos, bookmark, and comment!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty embarrassed about this chapter, to be honest. Life has been beyond busy, and I haven't had any time to write for about a month. I wanted to get this one out though, and move this story along. So here ya go!

* * *

Beca unlocked the door and stepped inside, breathing a sigh of relief at the familiar sight of her apartment. She quickly unclipped Zeus' leash and laughed as he sprinted around the kitchen, before disappearing from view down the hallway. Not having to wait long, the dog came bursting back around the corner, causing her to grin as she let him jump up into her arms for a hug.

"I know, dude. I'm happy to be home, too," she said, laughing as he licked her face.

They were about halfway into the tour, and Beca had been looking forward to these three shows in Nashville for a while now. Zeus had of course accompanied her, refusing to leave him behind for so long. She was having the time of her life, but was happy to be home for a few days to sleep in her own bed. Some things just couldn't be replicated, and the bed on her tour bus couldn't touch the one she'd picked out for her apartment.

Beca had been hesitant to agree to such a long tour, but the label had insisted she promote her album. Rascal Flatts sold out everywhere they went, and the executives had labeled them a dynamic duo that would draw unprecedented crowds. They'd been right, and the show had sold out in minutes after the announcement. Beca had never traveled so extensively, and worried about playing in front of so many people. Performing smaller shows and DJ'ing is very different than the large stadiums and arenas on the tour.

It took the entire month of July to finish her album and prep for the tour. One thing she hadn't anticipated was that she'd need a band. She'd used studio musicians to record each part separately for her albums, but a tour was different. Beca had been informed she would need to hire a band to play with her on stage, and that it had to be finalized as soon as possible to allow for rehearsing and letting everyone get to know each other.

It took two weeks to find the musicians she wanted, and taking her time had paid off. Her band was amazing, and she could honestly say there is no other group of people she'd rather perform with. Her music was fairly simple, and her band consisted of two guitar players, someone on bass, another on keys, and a drummer. She'd felt a special connection with each other them at the auditions, insisting on participating and playing or singing along to get a feel for how they would interact. Her patience had paid off, and the group was growing closer with each show.

Beca set her duffel bag down on the floor as her phone chimed with a new text, pulling it out of her pocket and smiling at Chloe's name flashing on the screen.

_Chlo [9:48PM]: Are you home yet?!_

Beca chuckled, knowing she'd promised to call. It had been a little over two months since she'd last seen Chloe, and the distance was as horrible as she'd imagined.

* * *

_(flashback)_

_Beca frowned at the suitcase on the sidewalk beside her, people moving all around them at the busy airport. She looked up to see Chloe shut the trunk of her car and move to her side._

_"Ready?" Chloe asked, stepping onto the sidewalk beside her._

_"No," Beca scoffed, shifting the shoulder strap of her laptop bag a little higher on her shoulder._

_Chloe laughed, leaning in and giving her a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you, but I'm so excited for you," she whispered. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! You're going on tour with Rascal Flatts, Becs!"_

_Beca sighed, unable to help from grinning. Chloe's excitement was infectious, and the redhead already guaranteed she would be attending the show in San Diego, as well as the two in LA in early December._

_"I'm not going to see you again until Thanksgiving," Beca said, turning sad again. "How is that okay?"_

_Chloe leaned back, placing her hands on Beca's shoulders. "You're going, and you're going to have fun! And that's final," she said, her tone matter of fact. "And you're going to FaceTime me every night so I don't miss you even more than I already know I will."_

_Beca nodded. "I already miss you…how ridiculous is that? I haven't even left yet."_

_Chloe leaned in and kissed her firmly, sliding her hands behind Beca's neck. "Careful, Becs. You're going soft on me," she whispered against her lips._

_Beca kissed her again, before pulling Chloe into another hug. "Only for you, Beale. Tell anyone and die," she added, her voice almost cracking with emotion._

_Chloe pulled back, taking charge of the situation. "Get your butt on that plane, Mitchell. It's time to live the next step of your dream. It's only for a little while. Before you know it you'll be moving back to California. We got this, baby."_

_"Totes," Beca said teasingly, a smirk forming on her lips._

_Chloe kissed her one last time. "Totes. Now go…you jerk. I love you."_

_"I love you too," Beca said, forcing herself to grab the bag and walk inside the airport._

* * *

_Beca [9:50PM]: Just got here. Call in a few_

Beca slipped her phone into her back pocket and dragged her bag into the bedroom. She wouldn't be staying long enough to unpack, leaving it zipped shut in the corner while she changed into a pair of pajama pants and climbed into her bed.

"Oh, fuck I've missed my bed," she sighed, laying back into the pillows and closed her eyes.

She didn't move when Zeus hopped up beside her, spinning around twice before settling comfortably against a pillow. A ringing sound from the pile of clothes on the floor made her groan, realizing she'd left her phone out of reach.

Knowing Chloe had gotten impatient, Beca quickly hopped up and dug through them, retrieving her phone from her discarded jeans and accepting the FaceTime call. She couldn't help but smile at the excited look on her girlfriend's face.

_"Hi, baby!"_

Beca chuckled, answering, "Hey, Chlo." She moved back to her bed, sighing happily once more when she was propped up by her multiple pillows.

 _"Happy to be home?"_ Chloe asked, patiently waiting until she was settled.

Beca nodded, her eyes locked on the screen. It had been over a week since they'd last been able to FaceTime, and she didn't want to miss a second of Chloe's gorgeous face. "You have no idea. My bed is heaven compared to my bunk on the bus."

Chloe's eyes turned mischievous. _"I miss being in that bed with you..."_ she trailed off suggestively.

Beca didn't miss the look in her girlfriend's eyes, or the way her tone dropped with those words. She remembered exactly what they'd done in her bed the last time they were together, and exhaled at the memory.

"Don't do that," Beca sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "You're across the country in California, and not here to do anything about it," she complained, trying not to imagine Chloe's hands on her body. "Plus, Zeus is here with me," she added, glancing sideways at the dog.

Chloe squealed, _"Let me see him!"_

Beca rolled her eyes and tilted the phone to the side, snorting as Chloe starting cooing at him. Zeus opened his eyes, looking curiously around the room for the source of the voice, before nosing at the screen.

 _"Aw, look, Becs! He misses me, too,"_ Chloe said, her voice taking on a proud quality.

"Yeah, wonderful," Beca agreed, sarcastically. "You're always way more excited to see him than me."

Chloe laughed, _"Don't be jealous! He's just so handsome!"_

Beca turned the phone away from Zeus, giving her girlfriend a glare. "And what about me, Beale?"

 _"You're my super hot girlfriend who doesn't want to have phone sex with me,"_ Chloe shot back. _"Despite the fact that you're alone in your apartment this time, and not on a tour bus."_

Beca shook her head, recalling the one time Chloe had brought it up while she was on the road. "That's not fair at all!" she argued back, knowing her cheeks were turning red. "You wanted to try it for the first time with the whole band plus extras five feet away!"

Chloe shook her head, a playful smile on her lips. _"Where's your sense of adventure?"_ she joked, already conceding the argument. _"How was I supposed to know everyone was celebrating Zak's birthday after the show. You're usually alone."_

"I know," Beca agreed, remembering the night. Zak, one of the guitarists, had turned twenty-one and the entire band partied well into the night after their show in Dallas. She escaped into her small room at the back of the bus to answer Chloe's call, only to find herself face to face with her half-naked girlfriend on the other end of the phone.

Chloe's voice shifted again, and Beca felt it low in her stomach. _"But...you're alone now, baby. And I've really...really missed you."_

Beca swallowed hard at the look Chloe was giving her, wishing more than anything they were together. She'd never experienced a real relationship before, let alone a long distance one, and being apart from Chloe was terrible. Beca did feel fortunate that she had the distraction of the tour to help take her mind off the distance. She was constantly preoccupied with something, be it a show, interview, rehearsal, the occasional recording session with her band...all of it helped the time pass quickly.

"I've missed you too, Chlo," she whispered, her throat suddenly dry, wondering if she could actually do this. Sure, she's no stranger to sex and was confident in her skills, but phone sex, or whatever they were flirting with right now, was a different story.

Beca sighed when Chloe abruptly ended the call, internally punching herself for being so lame. "Get your shit together, Mitchell," she said out loud, startling Zeus out of his sleep. "Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, unable to help the chuckle that escaped when he shifted around to face away from her.

Before she had too much time to dwell on how terrible she was at phone sex, her phone rang again. Beca looked down to see it was Chloe again, only this time it wasn't a video call.

"Hey," she said hesitantly, putting the phone back to her ear. "I'm so..."

Chloe cut her off before she could get the apology out, saying, _"I'm sorry if that was weird. I just miss you like crazy. I'm not used to this."_

Beca sighed, answering, "I know what you mean. I don't know how to do this long distance thing with you."

 _"Lucky for us, it's not forever."_ Chloe's positivity never failed to put a smile on Beca's face. It was one of the things that drew her to the redhead. They complimented each other, with Chloe's happiness canceling out Beca's pessimism and sarcastic tendencies.

"I know, I just..." Beca trailed off, frustrated with herself. "I wish you were here."

Chloe was quiet for a moment, before saying, _"I really wish I could kiss you right now."_

Of course now that the visual was in her head, Beca could think of nothing else. She desperately missed the way Chloe kissed her, among other things, and wondered how she could survive another month until Thanksgiving.

"If you were here, we'd be doing a lot more than kissing," Beca said, closing her eyes and imagining Chloe's hands on her body.

 _"Yeah?"_ Chloe's answer was a little breathless, and Beca fought against the urge to open her eyes at the sound.

"Yeah," she answered confidently, picturing just how quickly she'd be removing her girlfriend's clothes. "I'd have you naked in seconds."

Beca definitely didn't miss the way Chloe whimpered on the other end of the phone, wondering if this was actually happening.

_"Then what, baby?"_

She couldn't keep her eyes closed at that, Chloe's familiar tone confirming exactly what her girlfriend was doing all the way across the country. Beca took a slow, deep breath, trying to figure out how to not screw this up.

Chloe must have sensed her hesitation. _"Please, Becs...I need to hear your voice."_

An idea popped into her head, and Beca sighed in relief. The redhead loved it when Beca sang for her, and she knew her voice turned her girlfriend on. Chloe needed to hear her, and her voice was the one thing Beca could actually give her right now.

"You shout it out, but I can't hear a word you say," she sang softly, knowing how the song affected her girlfriend.

It probably wasn't exactly what Chloe had in mind, but Beca felt the awkwardness dissipate instantly as she continued to sing the familiar lyrics. Her voice faltered a bit when the sounds filtering through the phone grew louder until Chloe was crying out her name, and Beca didn't think she'd ever been more aroused in her life.

Beca closed her eyes again as she listened to Chloe's breathing even out.

 _"I love you,"_ Chloe murmured, breaking the silence. _"And I miss you so much."_

"I love you too," Beca answered immediately, wondering if it was possible to miss her girlfriend enough that she felt a physical ache in her chest. "How am I supposed to make it two more months without seeing you?"

Chloe sighed on the other end of the phone. _"I don't know,"_ she admitted. _"Part of me wants to hop on a plane right now."_

Beca grinned, saying quickly, "You should do that. I fully support that."

 _"I wish...but I can't just leave. My students are counting on me,"_ Chloe replied. _"And you're busy all the time on tour. You wouldn't have any time for me, even if I was there."_

"That's not true at all!" Beca sputtered, despite knowing it was completely true. The tour was incredibly demanding, and she spent almost every minute of free time either talking to Chloe or passed out on the bus.

Chloe laughed, arguing playfully, _"Liar. You almost always fall asleep mid-conversation, and that's when you aren't too tired to call. It's okay, Becs, I know you have to do this and that you're having a good time. I'm really proud of you...I just miss you."_

Beca exhaled slowly, knowing her girlfriend was right. "Thanks...and I miss you too, Chlo. And I'll admit that the tour is so awesome. I'm glad I decided to do it." She yawned before she could stop herself, the exhaustion hitting her at once.

 _"Get some sleep, Becs. I'm sure you have a long day tomorrow,"_ Chloe said, and Beca caught the disappointment in her tone despite her attempt to hide it.

"Chlo, I'm not..." she broke off as another yawn hit her, sheepishly finishing, "...tired."

Chloe snorted, and Beca could picture the redhead rolling her eyes at the ceiling. _"Yeah, okay DJ, whatever you say. Call me after your show tomorrow?"_ she asked.

Beca sighed, giving in and answering, "Yeah, of course. I love you."

_"Love you, too."_

Beca heard the phone click and knew that Chloe had hung up. The ache in her chest only intensified as she leaned over and plugged her phone into the charger, rolling back and sliding under the covers as she dropped quickly into sleep.

* * *

Beca jerked awake to her doorbell ringing loudly through the apartment. Zeus popped up and immediately sprinted out of the bedroom, barking once he reached the door. Beca groaned and rolled over in bed, burying her face into her pillow. The doorbell rang again and she sighed, resigned to her fate. Before she could get up, Zeus sprinted back into the bedroom and took a flying leap back onto the bed, landing inches from her head.

"Shit, okay! I'm up, dude," she said, eyeing his excited stance and wagging tail. He seemed to understand, because he was gone as quickly as he'd arrived, running back to the front door.

Beca climbed out of bed and pulled on a robe, tying it closed around her waist as she walked to the door. She found herself face to face with Scotty, and made a mental note to set some boundaries, mainly that he should never appear at her front door.

"Morning sunshine," he quipped, stepping inside to greet Zeus. "Can you call off the babysitter now?"

Beca narrowed her eyes at him, glancing back into the hall to see Omar leaning against the wall next to the elevator watching their exchange closely. "He's okay, Omar. Thanks for bringing him up," she said, her eyes and tone apologetic.

The tall man nodded respectfully, making his exit by quietly ducking into the stairwell. Beca stared into the empty landing for another minute, trying to ease her frustration. She turned back into her apartment and let the door shut behind her.

"What are you doing here, Scotty?" she asked irritably, moving into the kitchen in search of coffee. "I'm not due for sound check until like two."

The man rolled his eyes at her, answering, "It's quarter after one in the afternoon, Becs. This is what you pay me for."

Beca's eyes widened and she spun around to look at the digital clock on her stove, reading the numbers in disbelief.

"Fuck," she swore, hightailing it out of her kitchen, shouting over her shoulder, "Make coffee!"

Twenty minutes later she was dressed and sitting next to Scotty in the backseat of the car, going over her schedule for the day as Isaac drove them to the venue.

"Sound check at two, then four back-to-back short interviews with the press, the VIP meet and greet backstage, and you guys go on around eight," Scotty listed off, his eyes glued to his iPad.

Beca only caught about half of what he said, knowing the routine well by now. It was mostly the same for each stop on the tour, the only difference this time being she was at home and not walking from her bus to the venue.

"You're not listening to a word I say, are you?" Scotty sighed, looking up at her before shifting his gaze to the back of Isaac's head. "Does she do this to you, too?"

Beca rolled her eyes, speaking before Isaac could respond. "No, just you. And I heard you. Sound check, press, perform….nothing new."

Isaac chuckled, smartly deciding to keep any comments to himself.

"I like you, Scotty," she continued, winking at her manager. "I'd just like you more if you weren't always ruining my day with this boring shit that I can never get out of."

He shook his head at that, retorting, "You've only got about six more months before Theodore renegotiates your contract, so just suck it up until then. After that, the label can't spring this stuff on you anymore and you won't have to do all this…boring shit…if you don't want to."

Beca grinned at his use of Teddy's full name, knowing the lawyer didn't trust Scotty at all. She was still one of his favorite clients, and was oddly protective of her and her career.

"You two should really try to get along," she said innocently, forcing the grin from her face. "I don't get why it's so hard."

"He thinks I'm a gold digger who's using you for my own personal sugar momma," Scotty shot back, his tone outraged. "As if that could possibly be true, since he drew up the contract himself!"

Beca broke, laughing out loud at his words. "First, never say 'sugar momma' ever again. Second, I know. I'll talk to him about it when we meet in a few months to talk about my new contract."

Scotty flipped the cover of his iPad shut and crossed his arms, turning his gaze to look out of the window. "As if you could make it without me," he muttered. "Can't even wake up for a sound check…."

Beca fought to keep from laughing again at his pouting, knowing full well how important Scotty was to her career and her sanity. The man was easily the most organized person she's ever known, handling all the complicated details of her many obligations without batting an eye. He stayed cool under pressure, and was available at all hours of the day. Though he was fun to tease and got riled up easily, Beca knew he was an invaluable part of her career and never wanted to experience what it'd be like without him.

Isaac's calm tone broke the silence in the vehicle. "Becs, we're here."

"Thanks, Isaac," she said, hopping out of the backseat and falling into step beside Scotty as they made their way inside the venue.

They walked quickly through the hallways to the stage, Scotty giving her one last rundown of the day. Beca broke into a wide grin when she spotted her band already on stage, moving quickly towards them.

She turned around, walking backwards for a few steps, and called, "Thanks, Scotty. Couldn't do it without you!"

"Remember that when you're writing my bonus check!" he shouted back, his smile mirroring her own.

Beca laughed and spun back around, shuffling the remaining steps to give Zak a fist bump.

"Late, as usual," he joked, never letting her live it down.

"It's Scotty's fault," she instantly deflected as Rachel sidled over to them, adjusting the strap on her guitar. "He didn't wake me up on time."

"Forget to set an alarm?" Rachel asked, finally looking up at the other two.

Beca nodded, both to the question and in thanks to the crew member who just handed over her guitar. "Yeah, late night." She glanced around, spotting Alex and Travis making their way over to the group. "Where's Derek?"

The other members of the band shrugged, looking around the stage and over near the drums.

"He was just here a minute ago," Alex offered, tossing her blonde hair out of her eyes, still searching the area.

"I'm here!" came a shout from backstage.

They all turned to see the man jogging towards them, drumsticks tucked safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "I'm here," he said again, finally joining the group.

Beca grinned, looking down at her bare wrist as if checking a watch. "Last. First rounds on you tonight."

The rest of the band cheered at her words, filling in the appropriate teasing until someone shouted at them from backstage to get a move on.

"Okay guys, let's get this over with," she said, the familiar words rolling off her tongue. The band exchanged high-five's and fist bumps before taking their places.

Beca took her place at the microphone in the middle of the stage, back to the imaginary audience as her band got set. Spinning back around, she hummed softly as she waited for the sound guys to give them the signal. As with each time she stood onstage, she wondered how she possibly got so lucky that this was her life.

"You okay, Becs?"

She glanced up, seeing Zak's curious expression and realized she'd missed a cue.

"Yeah, my bad," she said, shaking off the thoughts. "I'm ready."

* * *

Beca wound her way backstage after joining Rascal Flatts on stage during their set, still riding the high of performing in front of thousands of people. She swung open the door, greeted by the cheers of her band after another successful show.

"Awesome show, Becs!" Zak said, everyone else echoing the sentiment.

"Hell yeah," Alex added, giving her a fist bump. "We just killed it out there, we're home for a few days….we're going out!"

Beca smirked, nodding in agreement. She looked around until she spied Scotty buried in his phone.

"Scotty!" Beca called, half listening as the band threw out a few bars and clubs they could hit up. When he looked up at her, she said, "Call the club and see if I can spin for a bit tonight. We're ready to party!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in a big hurry to post this and didn't send it off to get proofed, so all mistakes are definitely mine.
> 
> Thanks to all who continue to wait patiently for me to update. Here's to hoping life settles down a bit and I have more time to write!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the continued support for this story! Who's up for a chapter or two from Chloe's POV?
> 
> Music:
> 
> Say You're Mine – Kate Voegele

* * *

 

Chloe bit her lip as she watched Beca disappear inside the airport, fighting the urge to cry at the way her heart ached. Was it possible to miss the tiny brunette already? She was pretty sure it was, quickly returning to her car to drive home.

She made great time on the nearly empty streets, pulling into the driveway a short while later. Chloe called out as she entered the house, smiling at the loud response that came from the family room. She found Oliver, CJ, Evan, and Eddie all seated on the carpet with a game in the middle. As she approached, she recognized they were playing Operation, chuckling and settling down on the couch to watch.

"Getting in some good practice?" she asked teasingly, reaching over to ruffle Eddie's hair.

The boy grinned, jumping up to give her a warm hug. "I'm gonna be a doctor when I grow up!" he exclaimed. "Just like Uncle Ev and Uncle Ollie!"

Chloe returned his smile, letting his excitement overshadow the sadness of Beca leaving. "What happened to…" she faltered at the look on CJ's face, quickly changing tactics. "You'll be a great doctor!" she said, letting her voice rise happily.

Eddie nodded, answering, "I know." He left her embrace and returned to the floor beside his father, realizing it was his turn.

Chloe turned her gaze on Evan, asking, "How're the hands, Ev?"

He gave her a smile, though she could tell it was a little forced. "They're fine," he replied, looking down at his palms and slowly curled them into loose fists. There were some reddened patches of skin that were clearly still healing from the firework burns.

Oliver gave him a reassuring pat on the back, before turning to Chloe. "Don't worry about him. He's recovering ahead of schedule and the doctors are confident he'll be as good as new in another week or two."

Evan sighed, taking the small tweezers and attempted to remove the man's funny bone. His brow furrowed as he carefully extracted the piece, sighing in relief when it was free of the board.

CJ grinned, commenting, "See, no worries, Ev. You'll be fine."

Evan rolled his eyes at his older brother, passing the tweezers back to an excited Eddie. "Yeah, because this is exactly like surgery," he retorted sarcastically.

Chloe got up from the couch, moving to wrap her arms around Evan's neck to hug him from behind. "Hey, it's gonna be okay," she murmured comfortingly, feeling him lean back into her embrace.

He sighed again, moving his hand up to cover one of hers. "I know. How are you doing, Chlo-bear? Get Beca to the airport alright?" he asked.

Chloe stiffened for a second, before hugging him a little tighter. "Yeah, she's off on her tour," she confirmed, hating the way her throat tightened when she said the words. "It'll be great for her."

CJ eyed her for a moment, glancing to the side to make sure Eddie was preoccupied with the game. "We're here for ya too, Chlo. We know this ain't easy for you," he said awkwardly, shifting a little.

Chloe forced a smile, refusing to be sad while she was still surrounded by her family. "I'm fine, CJ, really. Thanks though," she added, slowly rising to her feet.

If she said it enough times, it was sure to be true, right?

* * *

Chloe returned to California a week later to prepare for the upcoming school year. With a full year at Barden behind her, Chloe felt confident and excited about what was to come. She knew that the school was an amazing work environment, with everyone focused on providing the best education possible for the students. The orientation week was a different experience this year, transforming into a preparation week that involved a lot of lesson planning and brainstorming new ideas for her classes.

She was thankful that she had the same lineup of classes as last year, truly enjoying getting to teach a wide variety of students from freshman beginners to the seniors in her AP class.

Chloe was also overjoyed to reunite with Aubrey and Jesse, and catch up on three months of summer activities. She was pleased to find out that they were still doing extremely well, and were enjoying living together.

School began, and Chloe spent the first few weeks easing into the curriculum as she got to know her students. It was extremely similar to the previous year, with everyone in her classes remaining engaged and eager to learn. Chloe thanked her lucky stars again that she'd been offered the opportunity to teach at Barden, and tried not to take any of the experience for granted.

As much as she hated to admit it, school and Aubrey and Jesse were not enough to distract her from how hard it was to be apart from Beca. The brunette was constantly on her mind, wondering how the tour was going and what she was doing in certain moments throughout the day. They weren't able to talk nearly as much as Chloe would have liked, but she tried to be patient and understanding, knowing that Beca's schedule was incredibly busy.

The first real setback came three weeks into the school year, when Beca's new single dropped. It was the song she'd caught her playing late at night over the summer on her guitar, except true to Beca's word, it was a more upbeat club version. It was no less heartbreaking, however, and it hurt even more when Beca didn't answer or return her calls that day. Chloe knew she had a show that night, but the song was everywhere, her students loved it, and she'd been forced to hear it no less than ten times during the day. After hearing Beca sing over and over about how Chloe broke her heart, she had really needed to hear that voice she loved so much say something positive. Instead she spent the night at Aubrey's, desperately needing the distraction of a girl's movie and ice cream night.

Beca had called her the following day and apologized for not warning her, promising that those feelings were in the past. Her smile had returned when the brunette promised her that the next album would be so mushy she'd go into sugar shock from just listening to it.

The school year continued to crawl by, and although Chloe loved teaching and adored her students, it wasn't the same as the previous few months when she'd been able to see Beca almost daily. The separation only got harder as the year progressed, Beca's calls and texts coming less and less frequently. Chloe knew that the tour was eating up most of her time, interspersed with appearances to promote her new album, which was dropping in early December to coincide with the two LA stops on the tour.

Chloe tried to be understanding, but she missed her girlfriend. More often than not, Beca would either forget to call, or be so tired that she'd fall asleep mid-conversation. She knew that Beca was being pulled in about twenty different directions, but it wasn't stopping new pictures and videos from popping up on her Instagram and Twitter about how awesome the tour was. Even though a part of Chloe knew that Scotty was probably behind a majority of the posts, it hurt to see Beca having such an amazing time without her. The doubts were starting to come thick and fast, and Chloe was wondering if Beca was starting to rethink settling down in California. It was hard not to let her mind wander, when every time she opened her phone there was a new post of a grinning Beca surrounded by her band, or one where the brunette was strumming her guitar, a look of intense focus on her face.

Chloe wasn't sure she could pinpoint when the shift happened, but she had a feeling it was around three in the morning after Beca's first tour stop home in Nashville, staring at her phone that had never rung despite the show having ended hours earlier. The tears fell thick and fast, and before she knew it Chloe found herself on Aubrey's doorstep, apologizing profusely as the blonde hugged her tightly and quickly inside.

Aubrey had made them both a cup of tea and sat with her on the couch while Chloe tearfully recounted how Beca had forgotten to call again while photos of her appeared periodically throughout the night at a popular club in Nashville. Thankfully, the blonde hadn't commented on Beca's behavior, just offered her a sympathetic shoulder to cry on and a place to not be alone for the night.

Beca had called the next evening, offering another apology along with details of an impromptu lunch with Chloe's mother.

* * *

_(flashback)_

" _Hey babe!"_

" _Hi," Chloe answered, not quite matching Beca's enthusiasm._

" _I…I'm sorry I didn't call after the show last night," Beca said, faltering a bit at Chloe's tone. "The band was excited to be back in Nashville, and I ended up spinning for a while at a club. It was so late when we got out that I didn't want to wake you."_

_Chloe sighed, replying, "You didn't want to wake me, or you just forgot, Becs?"_

_Beca remained silent, and Chloe knew the answer to her question._

" _Becs, I'm glad you're having a good time….really," she started, unsure of where she was taking this. "I just…"_

_Beca interrupted her nervously, saying, "I know, Chlo, I'm sorry. You deserve so much better than this. It's only for a couple more months, and then it's over and I'll be in Cali with you."_

" _Will you?" Chloe challenged irritably. She had barely slept and was still angry and hurt at how often Beca left her waiting up for a call that never came. "You seem like you're having such a good time….what if you don't want to stop touring? Do you even miss me?"_

" _Of course I miss you!" Beca exclaimed, seemingly realizing how serious Chloe was. "Chlo, I love you. I thought…I thought we were on the same page, here."_

_Chloe scoffed, "Yeah, well so did I. But I'm tired of staring at my cell phone waiting for you to call, and instead getting treated to pictures of you partying with your band."_

_Beca took an audible breath on the other end of the phone. "Okay, that's fair. I suck. But it doesn't change what I told you before I left on this tour. You're my future, Chlo. I don't want to tour, I just want to make music. I love you so much, you have to know that."_

_Chloe hesitated at the desperation in Beca's voice, realizing the brunette possibly thought this was a breakup call. Her heart wavered at the idea, and quickly replied, "I know, baby, and I love you too. It's just really hard to be here without you. At least I'll get to see you in a few weeks for Thanksgiving."_

_Beca paused on the other end of the line, making Chloe's heart drop. "I will be seeing you in a few weeks for Thanksgiving, right Beca?" she asked sharply._

_She was met with more silence, and was filled with dread as she awaited Beca's answer._

" _Uh…so, don't be mad, Chlo," Beca started, her voice a little shaky already, as if she knew Chloe was going to get mad at what she had to say._

_Chloe didn't bother waiting for the excuse, shouting through the phone, "Are you fucking kidding me? Beca, it's been three months! I haven't seen you, or hugged you, or kissed you in three months! What the hell is more important that spending Thanksgiving with me?"_

_Beca sighed, answering, "The label is making me play the Macy's parade thing. I don't have a choice, I'm still bound by my contract."_

_Chloe fell silent at the news, torn between being happy and proud or furious with the brunette. She loved the parade, and her family watched it every year on Thanksgiving. It was one of her favorite things about the holiday, and was immediately elated that Beca had been given the honor of performing. On the other hand, Beca was supposed to spend Thanksgiving with her in Nashville. Chloe was beyond annoyed that Beca was bailing on the holiday, especially after knowing how much she'd bee looking forward to spending time together._

" _I'm sorry, Chlo. I don't have a choice," Beca repeated, her voice weak. "I'd say no if I could. I'll be having Teddy negotiate a new contract soon, and I'll have final say on what performances I do, I swear. Just…please don't be mad."_

_When Chloe remained quiet, Beca continued, "I had lunch with your mom today."_

_It was the wrong thing to say, and Chloe felt the hurt bubble up in her chest. "What?! So you have time for my mom, but not for me?" She hated the way her voice cracked, as she fought to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks._

" _Aw, Chlo, it's not like that. I'll spend every minute with you when the tour stops in San Diego and LA," Beca reasoned, her voice turning soothing. "I was here and she invited me to lunch and I couldn't exactly say no…" she trailed off, as if imploring Chloe to see reason._

" _We had a nice time, actually," Beca continued, as if hoping her positive report from lunch would improve Chloe's mood. "Although, I thought your dad was the lawyer. I wouldn't have been surprised if by the end of that lunch, your mom had my credit cards, my social security number, and the naming rights to my first born child. She's sneaky as fuck with the questions."_

_Chloe chuckled at the statement, knowing all too well how persistent and devious her mother could be. "I'll have to call her later to find out if you passed her inspection," Chloe joked._

_Beca made an anxious noise on the other end, asking, "Wait, seriously? What if I didn't pass? She didn't seem to like the fact that I'm a celebrity, even though it's not by choice. Why is it my fault it people think I'm a lot cooler than I actually am?"_

" _Yeah, you're really breaking my heart, Mitchell," Chloe shot back, relieved that they were returning to their usual playful banter. She'd missed this more than she realized. "Hard to argue though, you're not cool at all."_

" _Hey, I'm a little bit cool," Beca argued back, but Chloe could tell she was grinning. "I convinced you to date me, that's gotta count for something."_

_Chloe replied, "That just means you've got a rockin' body and you know how to use it. On the inside, you're a total band geek."_

_Beca gasped, "How dare you! I'm so much more than a band geek! You'll pay for that one, Beale..."_

_Chloe was about to respond when she heard another voice through the phone speaking to Beca. Her heart sank again when her girlfriend spoke._

" _Ugh, sorry babe, I've gotta go," Beca said, sounding as irritated as Chloe felt._

_They were finally talking, like really talking, for the first time in weeks. Chloe took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before replying, "Okay, baby. I love you."_

" _Hey, I'm really sorry about Thanksgiving. I was really looking forward to seeing you and your family. How's Evan, by the way? I've been meaning to ask you…" Beca trailed off, but Chloe could hear the sincerity in her voice._

" _He's good…doing really well in his residency program so far," Chloe answered happily, hearing Beca's sigh of relief on the other end. "I'm not thrilled about Thanksgiving, but I understand."_

" _I'll make it up to you," Beca promised, just as Chloe heard the voice again, and Beca's irritated reply of, "Give me a fucking minute!"_

" _It's okay," Chloe said, trying to hide the sadness that was creeping in. "Just call me soon, okay?"_

_Beca answered quickly, "I will. I promise. I love you so much, Chlo."_

" _I love you, too."_

* * *

It had been three weeks since that phone call, and Chloe was frustrated that it had taken less than a week for Beca to fall right back into the habit of not calling. She sighed and leaned back in her chair away from her desk, glaring at the phone as if that would make it ring with a text or call from her girlfriend. Instead, it lay silent and dark on the wood, slightly lit up with the reflection from her computer screen. It was her planning period, and she was left alone with her thoughts instead of the distraction of her next class.

A gentle knock sounded at the door making her shoot upright, thankful for something to take her mind off Beca. The sight that greeted her was not a welcome one, and she forced a smile onto her face as the man entered the room. Tom Knight was one of the newcomers that year, hired to teach AP History courses. He'd taken an interest in her from the moment they met, but Chloe never felt quite comfortable around him despite his playful smile and easy-going personality. He was definitely handsome, with a strong jaw and thick brown hair, but Chloe only had eyes for one brunette, and she was roaming the country playing sold out stadiums with Rascal Flatts.

Thankfully, the buzz surrounding Beca's relationship status had completely died since the tour began, and Chloe was able to take advantage of her anonymity to maintain a normal life. The downside was that she couldn't talk about her relationship with Beca at work, instead deflecting any questions about her personal life to more safe topics of conversation. She slowly rose to her feet as he stepped through the doorway, wondering what he needed.

"Hey, Chloe," Tom greeted, making his way into the room and over to her desk. "You busy?"

Chloe kept her smile polite, answering, "Actually, I was just about to go over a few things for my AP classes this afternoon. Did you need something?"

Tom nodded, looking a little nervous before covering it with a smile. "I was wondering if you were going to that teacher's Thanksgiving thing Aubrey and Jesse are hosting tonight?"

"Oh, um, yeah, I was planning on it," Chloe replied, unsure of where the conversation was headed.

"Great, me too!" he answered, seeming to gain a little confidence. "I was thinking, maybe we could go together?"

Chloe stared at him blankly, her smile thankfully frozen in place. "Tom, you know I'm seeing someone, right? I'm sorry if I ever gave you a different impression."

The man shrugged off her statement, "Right, your relationship," he said, emphasizing the last word and punctuating it with air quotes. "Your mystery boyfriend who you don't talk about and is never around, and probably doesn't even exist."

Chloe looked at him dumbfounded, wondering if that's what teachers at the school believed about her. That she would lie about being in a relationship, or if it was just Tom refusing to take no for an answer.

"Come on, Chloe. Be my date to Teachersgiving tonight," he said, looking proud of himself for combining the words.

"No. I am in a committed relationship, and even if I wasn't, you aren't my type," Chloe said firmly, secretly enjoying his look of disbelief. It was a little understandable, as Chloe wouldn't have been surprised if he'd never been turned down before in his life.

"Are you bringing him tonight? I'd love to meet him," Tom replied, switching tactics.

Chloe shook her head no. "Not tonight," she answered, glancing at the clock and realizing there was still far too much time left in her planning period.

"Come on, Chlo. You don't have to lie about having a boyfriend anymore. I'd love to take you out on a real date..."

"Excuse me?!" Aubrey's shrill voice rang out from the doorway, and Chloe had never been happier to see the blonde in her life. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone accusatory and her finger pointing sharply at Tom.

Tom took a step back away from Aubrey's piercing gaze, looking hesitantly at Chloe as if she would intervene.

Chloe spoke first, saying calmly, "Tom was just leaving, right?"

The man glanced between the two women, before nodding and quickly sliding past Aubrey to exit the room. Chloe took a deep breath after he was gone and Aubrey shut the door, sitting back down behind her desk.

"What was that?" Aubrey asked curiously, all her anger transforming into curiosity. "Did I hear him insinuate you were lying about being in a relationship and ask you out in the same breath?"

Chloe nodded her head in disbelief. "Basically. It's not like I can tell him who I'm dating, Bree."

Aubrey gave her a serious look. "Was he pressuring you? I'll uninvite him from Teachersgiving tonight as soon as I leave this room. What a jerk!"

"You too, huh? Teachersgiving?" Chloe asked, her smile returning as the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Jesse came up with it. It was on the little reminder evite thing he sent around this morning," Aubrey explained, her irritation fading almost instantly into fondness at the thought.

Chloe sighed, saying, "You don't have to uninvite him. I'll just stay home. He kinda creeps me out anyways."

Aubrey leveled her with a glare, retorting, "Chloe Beale, you will absolutely not stay home alone. You are coming to Teachersgiving, and you're going to play drinking games and get drunk and crash on our couch after having an amazing time. You will not sit at home and pine over that hobbit." At Chloe's look, she sighed and corrected, "Beca. You will not pine over Beca. Beca has a show tonight, which means you'll sit up half the night waiting for her to call and the other half in tears watching Titanic because she forgot again."

Chloe opened her mouth to argue the point, but closed it again at Aubrey's knowing look. "Okay, fine. I'll go."

Aubrey nodded her acceptance, adding, "He creeps me out too. Stay away from him. Beca would hate him."

Chloe knew that was true. "She would. She would definitely hate him."

"Besides, I get the first shot at her for how she's treated you lately. You know you could do a lot better than her, Chlo," Aubrey said, her disdain clear.

"Bree," Chloe warned, familiar with Aubrey's disapproval of her relationship. "Beca is so much more than you think."

Aubrey relented, her gaze softening as she replied, "I'm sorry. I know that Beca is not the same person she was when she was terrorizing my class two years ago. But she still wears those ear monstrosities, so how much different could she be?"

Chloe grinned, thinking of the piercings up the edge of Beca's ears. "I think they're totes sexy. Especially the noises she makes when I..."

"Stop!" Aubrey screeched, holding a hand up in case she didn't get the message. "I do not need to know anything about yours and Beca's sex life. Nothing."

Chloe chuckled, slowly coming down off that brief high at the memory that she would not be seeing Beca next week for Thanksgiving.

"What?" Aubrey interrupted her thoughts, studying her face curiously. "What did she do now?"

Chloe looked around the room, finally meeting Aubrey's eyes as she said, "She's not spending Thanksgiving with me. The label booked her to play the Macy's parade in New York and she's bound by her contract."

Aubrey snorted, but decided not to comment on that news.

"It's okay, Bree. She can't help it. She'll have a new contract in a few months and promised that she would have more control over her career, especially when she performs," Chloe explained, hoping it would change Aubrey's already too negative opinion of her girlfriend.

The blonde sighed, glancing up at the clock before speaking. "All I'm gonna say Chlo, is that you've been shedding a lot of tears lately over someone who supposedly makes you so happy." After a moment, Aubrey noted it was time for her to get back to her room, and told Chloe she'd see her after school.

Chloe stayed silent, knowing there was some truth to the words. It was just hard right now, with the distance separating them and Beca's tour monopolizing all of her time. She vaguely wondered if she was making excuses for Beca's behavior, but shoved the thoughts away, fully believing that soon Beca would be here with her and things would be different.

* * *

Chloe was never more grateful for her family than on Thanksgiving Day, feeling Beca's absence more than at any point since they separated. Her brothers sensed it, doing their best to distract her with mindless tasks and questions about her new students. They even got Eddie in on it, the boy insisting that Chloe tag along on every one of his and Shadow's adventures in the woods behind the Beale house.

Beca had only called once in the last week, and the brunette had been at the end of her rope, completely exhausted from the different obligations the label had lined up for her. The conversation had been short, and Chloe wasn't sure if it hurt more to know that Beca was wearing herself out trying to make everyone else happy, or to know that at least for the time being there was simply no time in Beca's life for her. She always came last, behind the tour and press conferences and interviews and the band….the list went on and Chloe's jaw tensed the more she thought about it.

She was doing her best to be happy and thankful for all the blessings in her life, and not focusing on the fact that the one person she loved more than anyone wasn't there to share the holiday with her. Chloe shook her head to clear out any lingering negative thoughts, instead reminding herself that she had an amazing family who loved her unconditionally, and that there were so many out there who didn't even have a fraction of what she had.

Will sank down beside her on the couch, nudging her shoulder and asking, "Has the parade started yet?"

Chloe nodded, her eyes trained on the television. "Yeah, I think she'll be performing soon. They've been counting down to the bigger names and she's coming up."

Will yelled back into the house, "HEY! BECA'S PERFORMING! GET IN HERE!"

"Will!" Chloe exclaimed, smacking his knee. "Everyone doesn't have to watch…" she trailed off, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Nonsense," Christian said, his warm smile comforting her as he entered the room and sat down in his favorite chair. "No one will miss it, since your mother is recording the parade on three different stations. We'll be able to relive this moment forever," he joked, earning a hard stare from his daughter.

"Yeah, Chlo-bear," CJ added, walking into the center of the room with Eddie on his back before tumbling carefully to the floor and starting a wrestling match. "Why don't you want us to see?"

Chloe hesitated, knowing that Beca was performing her new single. The song was good, Chloe could admit that, but she couldn't listen to it without reliving the pain of their breakup and time apart. She understood now how difficult it must have been for Beca to record that album while trying to work on their relationship. It was easier to see why Beca had been more closed off like she'd been in the beginning, instead of the open, loving woman she'd grown to know by the end of that school year.

Before she could answer, Grace swept into the room with a tray of cheeses, crackers, and pigs in blankets. "Quiet, you lot! Beca's on next!" she exclaimed, turning the television volume up far too loud.

Everyone protested immediately, with Christian taking the remote and lowering it right back down. "Honey, we won't hear anything if we're all deaf before Beca starts singing," he said, his voice gentle despite the smile threatening at the corners of his mouth.

Grace ignored him, taking up her usual perch on the arm of his chair and snagging the remote right back from her husband. "Don't mess with me today, Mr. Beale, or you won't get any turkey."

Christian's eyes grew wide, his hand coming up to rub his wife's back. "That's just mean….taking away a man's turkey on Thanksgiving. Next thing you know, you'll say we can't watch the football games," he grumbled.

"Hush," Grace said, staring at the television with rapt attention as the parade came back on.

Chloe felt the urge to leave, only countered by the stronger urge to actually see her girlfriend. They hadn't FaceTime'd in almost three weeks, and Chloe was desperate for even a glimpse of the brunette. She was doing her best to hold on for another week until Beca arrived in San Diego.

The hosts announced Beca's name and suddenly, there she was. Chloe felt her breath catch at how gorgeous Beca looked, standing confidently onstage on her parade float. She was wearing tight jeans and boots with a sparkly white top, a black leather jacket completing the outfit. Her hair was down in loose waves that instantly made Chloe want to run her fingers through it. A tear streaked down her cheek before she could stop it, and she quickly swiped at it with her fingertips hoping none of her family noticed. Thankfully, they were all focused on the screen as Beca smiled and waved at the crowd.

Chloe finally noticed that her float was sponsored by Gibson Les Paul, and that Beca was wearing a white guitar she'd never seen before. The float was decked out with a musical theme and a small winter scene on the lower level that was filled with children smiling and cheering. Chloe sighed, knowing that Beca had insisted on allowing kids to ride the float with her, probably wanting as much of the attention off herself as possible.

The real surprise happened when Beca nodded to her band and they began to play, mainly because Chloe was almost positive that all these things were pre-recorded and the artists lip-synced to the track. 'Of course Beca wouldn't agree to that, either,' Chloe thought, hating how much she loved the brunette in that moment.

Once she actually stopped to listen to the song, she realized that Beca wasn't, in fact, performing her new single. Instead, Chloe's heart swelled as Beca played one of the more popular songs off her first album, one that she'd written about Chloe. Her heart fluttered as Beca hit the chorus, completely in control of everything happening on stage. Her chemistry with the band was obvious to anyone with eyes, and Chloe was struck with a moment of pride for how far her girlfriend had come in such a short time. It didn't hurt that Beca was singing straight to her on national television. She caught Will's look in her direction, blushing slightly at his raised eyebrow as Beca started the second verse.

_Let's get ourselves outta town_

_We'll take the last train out_

_I got a million things I wanna know_

_It's easy baby with us there's nowhere we can't go_

_And this love it doesn't scare me_

' _Cause I'm running out of reasons not to feel this_

_I can tell you're dying to try_

Chloe's cheeks were bright red as her mother tore her eyes away from the television to look at her, saying, "Chlo, that girl loves you."

She could only nod as Beca went into the chorus.

_No one's gonna love you like I will_

_Darlin' you can just take take take your time_

_And I've been burning up like a wildfire_

_Wishing you would just say say say you're mine_

"Yeah," Chloe breathed happily. "Yeah, she does."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to add this story, comment, and drop me some kudos! You guys keep me motivated!
> 
> I think the ladies have spent enough time apart...don't you?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keeping it rolling and sticking with Chloe's POV. Enjoy!
> 
> Music:
> 
> Endlessly – The Cab

* * *

 

Chloe smiled as the last of her freshmen students filed out of the room, barely able to contain her excitement as she glanced at the clock for the hundredth time that day. Beca was due to arrive that evening, and Chloe couldn't wait to finally be in the same room as her girlfriend. The wait had been tortuous, but Beca had called more frequently the past week leading up to her arrival in California. Chloe was impressed at how Beca finally put her foot down with Scotty and the label, insisting that they be more realistic with her commitments. She recalled the brunette sarcastically claiming that they couldn't make money off her if they worked her to death, allowing Chloe to cheekily point out just how much money people made off dead artists. Beca hadn't taken kindly to those words, and Chloe apologized as genuinely as possible while giggling at how adorable her girlfriend was when she was pouting.

Chloe looked out the window at the students trekking happily over to the cafeteria, knowing there were only two periods to get through after lunch. Beca's flight didn't arrive until later that evening, but Chloe's energy and joy had been palpable all morning, with more than a few students commenting on it. She was barely holding it together, and since no one at school knew she was dating Beca, she had to keep it all inside.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down, pulled her lunch bag out of a drawer, and set it on top of her desk. Before she could open it, a familiar voice in the doorway made her freeze mid-motion.

"Ms. Beale, do you have a moment? I could really use your help with something."

Chloe's eyes widened and she spun in her chair to see Beca leaning against the door frame, casually dressed in jeans and a green t-shirt with a familiar looking leather jacket.

"You're here!" Chloe squealed, jumping up instantly from her desk and quickly closing the distance between them, wrapping Beca in a tight hug.

Beca chuckled, holding her close and pressing her nose into the hollow of Chloe's neck, murmuring, "I'm here."

Chloe leaned back, gripping the open halves of her jacket and pulled Beca in for a kiss, momentarily forgetting where they were.

Beca pulled back after a few moments, smiling at Chloe's confused look. "We're at school, babe. Not exactly the best spot..."

Chloe blushed, realizing that any of her students or colleagues could have walked in on them. "Right," she nodded, glancing out into the hallway before wrapping the brunette in another full body hug. Stepping back, she asked, "I thought you weren't getting here until later tonight?"

Beca shrugged, replying, "Yeah... I lied so that I could surprise you for lunch." She pointed at the bag from In-N-Out sitting on the nearest table.

Chloe grinned, pulling Beca inside the room and out of view of the hallway and kissed her again. "God, I missed you," she whispered, connecting their lips once more. "I can't believe you're actually here with me."

Beca sucked in a breath, stepping back and looked up into her eyes. "I missed you too, Chlo. I'll be here for a whole week."

Chloe smiled happily and was just about to lean in for another kiss when a voice interrupted them.

"Hey, Chloe, I saw your door was open and..."

Chloe spun around as the voice fell flat, finding Tom standing inside the door looking curiously at Beca. She looked back at Beca, not at all surprised at the way her girlfriend's eyebrows narrowed the longer she studied the man.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize your friend was coming for lunch," Tom apologized smoothly, stepping forward and offering his hand to Beca. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Tom, one of the teachers here."

Beca raised an eyebrow at the word "friend," before smiling politely and shaking the man's hand. "Beca," she answered, stepping back awkwardly.

Chloe made up her mind instantly, moving closer to Beca and slipping an arm around her waist. "Tom, this is Beca...my girlfriend. She's in town for the week," she added, giving the brunette's hip a little squeeze.

Tom stared blankly at her for a moment, before his gaze flipped between the two women as he caught on. "Your girlfriend," he said slowly as if trying to wrap his head around it.

Beca smirked at his reaction, and Chloe knew she was holding back many of the things she wanted to say.

"Yes, my girlfriend," Chloe confirmed, shooting Beca a quick smile. "We've been together for about six months."

"Best six months of my life," Beca chimed in, watching Tom's jaw clench. "She's pretty amazing, you know. We were just about to head outside for lunch, but it was nice to meet you, Tom," she finished, locking her fingers with Chloe's and grabbing the bag of takeout off the table.

Chloe could see that Tom wasn't too happy about being dismissed, but she was a bit distracted at how hot Beca was when she took charge of the moment. She followed her girlfriend to the familiar spot under her favorite tree, recalling how often she could find Beca and Stacie sitting there reading or playing music during their senior year.

"Want to tell me what the story is with that guy?" Beca asked after they'd unpacked the burgers and fries into a mini picnic.

Chloe shrugged, answering, "He's new this year. Just being friendly, I guess."

Beca scoffed, taking a sip of her milkshake. "Yeah, okay. You can think what you want, but that overgrown frat boy likes you. Didn't you see the way he was looking at you?"

"Beca, he's a colleague. Nothing more," Chloe said firmly, not really wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Maybe to you," Beca mumbled, looking around the school instead of meeting Chloe's eyes. "I don't like him."

Chloe chuckled, replying, "I knew you wouldn't. Aubrey said the same thing."

Beca groaned at that statement. "No, I can't actually agree with General Posen! What is happening?"

Chloe smacked her thigh. "Stop calling her that! Bree is one of my closest friends here, and she's been so understanding these past few months when I've..." she trailed off, not intending on telling Beca just how difficult their time apart as been for her.

"When you've what, Chlo?" Beca asked, her face turning serious to match her tone.

Chloe knew she looked guilty as hell because Beca's face hardened even more when she asked again. She took a deep breath, saying quickly, "Bree has been a great friend the past few months when I've struggled with you being on tour."

Beca's expression dropped and she looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry, Chlo. I know the past four months have been really hard on you, and most of that is my fault for not calling or communicating like I should. I'm new to all this too, you know...and I don't know what I'm doing most of the time. I'm sorry I wasn't better for you, but I promise I'm doing the best I can."

Chloe felt the honesty and emotion coming off Beca and knew the brunette was telling the truth. She had tried many times to consider what Beca was going through on the tour, it was just difficult to think she was struggling after being flooded with images of her smiling face all the time.

"I'm sorry too, Becs. I know that it hasn't been easy for you either," Chloe said softly, reaching out and lacing her fingers with Beca's. "It was just so easy to assume you were having this great time from all the posts on your Twitter and Instagram… I should have trusted that you weren't acting that way on purpose, or not calling because you just forgot about me."

Beca's eyes widened, interrupting her instantly, "Chloe, how could I possibly forget about you? I love you. I have a calendar tacked up in the bus where I've been counting down the days until today. I've been waiting for this stop for four months."

Chloe smiled at her, replying, "I know that now, but it wasn't so easy to remember when it had been a week since I last talked to you. So, um… I spent a lot of time at Bree and Jesse's, and well, despite my best efforts Bree still doesn't have the highest opinion of you."

"No shit," Beca retorted, rolling her eyes. "We didn't exactly get along when I was here, either. She hated me from day one. I wouldn't expect that to change just because you started sleeping with me."

Chloe winked at her, releasing her hand as she slid it up Beca's thigh. "Best decision I ever made."

Beca swatted it away and pointed a finger at her, warning, "Stop it, Beale. We are in public, and I haven't gotten laid in four months. Unless you're planning on skipping your last two classes, you better keep those hands to yourself."

"I wish," Chloe sighed, already itching to get her hands on her girlfriend. She couldn't help that Beca was so hot, especially with this new added confidence that she must have acquired while on tour.

Noises from the cafeteria alerted them that students were milling out onto the quad, happy to spend the last part of lunch in the warm California sunshine. Chloe, gathering up their trash from lunch, began to stand saying, "You need to go."

Beca frowned up at her from under the tree, teasing, "Trying to get rid of me already? I just got here."

"If you stay, you'll be swarmed by all my students who are in love with you and your new single," Chloe said, her tone full of warning.

Beca seemed to ponder that for a moment, before slowly getting to her feet. "I guess we don't want that. After all, you know how much I hate kids."

Chloe rolled her eyes, retorting, "You love kids."

"I'll love our kids," Beca shot back, her signature smirk in place as Chloe swooned a bit at her words.

She stepped closer to the brunette, hooking her fingers in the belt loops of Beca's jeans and pulling her close, whispering, "That was a low blow, Beca Mitchell."

Beca broke into a grin, replying, "A wise person once told me to play to win."

Chloe pressed a quick kiss to her lips, saying, "I said that I play to win, not that you should." She gently shoved Beca a few steps back, wondering how she was going to manage to wait another three hours before they were alone in her apartment.

Beca glanced behind her, shifting uncomfortably for a second before saying, "Uh, Chlo. Kids coming our way. Should I make a run for it?"

Chloe grinned at the mental image of Beca running away from a group of high school students, before shaking her head no. "Come on, baby," she said, picking up the rest of their trash and dumping it into a nearby can. "You can walk me to class."

Beca rolled her eyes, retorting, "Should I carry your books, too? Offer you my jacket?"

"I do like that jacket," Chloe said, spinning and running her hands up the sleeves to Beca's shoulders. She let her fingers trail lightly down the other girl's chest as she leaned in close to Beca's ear. "But it'd look better on my floor," she whispered, feeling Beca shudder at her words.

"That's...um...yeah, okay," Beca stuttered, her cheeks turning red at the images Chloe planted in her mind.

Chloe giggled, taking her hand and spinning away towards the doors. "Later," she added, pulling one side open and tugging Beca inside.

"Tease," Beca grumbled, allowing the redhead to lead her inside to her classroom. "It looks different in here," she commented, looking around at the tables.

Chloe nodded, moving behind her desk to look at her lesson plans. "I switched up the tables this year. Thought I'd try a different setup that encourages more collaboration."

Beca moved behind her, placing her hands on the desk on either side of Chloe's body. "Ms. Beale, if you're free later, I've got a project we could collaborate on..." she trailed off, her voice dropping a little lower.

Chloe shivered, feeling Beca step closer until she was flush against her back. "What kinda project?" she asked shakily.

"A mutually beneficial one," Beca replied, holding that contact for a few more seconds before stepping back in case any students decided to show up early. "I think you'll find it to be a unique, yet extremely enjoyable experiment. I've had a lot of time to think about it over the past four months."

Chloe swallowed at the way Beca's eyes darkened playfully. She was saved from answering when a few students entered the room, calling out a greeting to her. She smiled as they froze, staring at Beca as if she was from another planet.

"Uh oh," Beca muttered, her smile frozen in place. "Say something, Chloe."

Chloe gestured for the students to take their seats, saying teasingly, "Ya'll know where your seats are. And you better close your mouths unless you want to catch some flies."

She barely kept from laughing as all three mouths snapped shut immediately, the girls quickly taking their seats before turning their eyes back to Beca. Once her entire class had arrived, Chloe stood at the front of the room and cleared her throat, gaining the attention of her students instantly.

"Class, as some of you may have realized, we have a guest for the first part of class today," Chloe began, glancing at Beca who was standing off to the side at the front of the room. "Beca is a friend of mine, and she's in town visiting for a week."

One girl couldn't contain herself, excitedly saying, "I love your music! I have tickets to your show tomorrow night!"

Beca shot the girl a smile and a wink, saying, "Awesome. I'll try extra hard to not screw up."

"What's it like being famous?" A boy in the back called out, and Chloe realized this could get out of hand quickly.

Beca shifted a bit so she could spot the boy, answering, "It's kinda like living your normal life, except you get zero privacy. You can just assume someone is either watching you or photographing you or trying to tell you what to do. Not all it's cracked up to be."

At that point, three voices rang out with questions, all talking at once so none of them could be heard. Chloe stepped in, clapping her hands for silence. "Okay, I understand this is exciting for all of you, but we need to get started and Beca has somewhere to be," she said, shooting Beca a look and grinning as the brunette nodded quickly.

"Yeah, uh, I've gotta head out. It was nice meeting you all," she said with an awkward wave. "I'll see you later, Chlo."

Chloe smiled and nodded as she exited the room, letting the door close behind her. Turning back to her class, she sighed at the excited faces staring back at her. "Okay, one at a time," she conceded, leaning back against her desk as every hand shot into the air.

* * *

It took all of Chloe's will power to stay calm on the drive to her apartment, knowing Beca was there waiting for her. Her last two classes had crawled by, finally able to get her first AP class to focus after Beca's surprise introduction. The brunette had been adorably awkward with her students, and Chloe had struggled to keep to her lesson plan while her mind ran wild with thoughts of what awaited her at home. God, it had been forever since their last night together in Nashville, and she was full of anticipation at getting Beca for the better part of a week while she was in California.

She pulled into her apartment complex to find Beca sitting casually on a bench outside her building, earbuds in and head gently bobbing as she stared intently at her phone. Chloe felt her heart race at how sexy her girlfriend was, and she wasn't even trying. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as she parked in an open space, the anticipation getting the better of her as she took a deep breath.

Beca looked up just as she exited the car, her lips curling into a slow smile. Chloe met her eyes, immediately recognizing the look Beca was giving her and felt the heat flood her body. She walked over as the brunette stood, removing her earbuds and wrapping them around her phone before putting the device in her jacket pocket.

"Hi," Chloe said softly, letting Beca reach out and take her hand, pulling her close.

"Hey," Beca murmured, hugging her tightly as her other hand slid dangerously low on Chloe's back.

Chloe's breath hitched, reveling in the feeling of having Beca here with her, in the flesh. "Want to go inside?" she asked breathlessly.

Beca hummed, her lips skimming over Chloe's neck. "More than you know," she replied, letting her fingertips dip under the waistband of Chloe's pants, stroking softly over her skin.

"Yeah, let's...let's go," Chloe managed, forcing herself to step away, keeping their hands connected and pulling Beca toward her apartment.

She paused at the door, fumbling with her keys when she felt lips on the back of her neck and Beca's arms slip around her. Chloe let out a small squeak, almost dropping her keys when Beca's hands started creeping up from her stomach.

"I can't get the door unlocked...you're distracting me," she huffed, flipping and twisting keys again, searching for the right one.

Chloe felt Beca's smirk against her neck, the brunette clearly enjoying how flustered she was getting.

"You have thirty seconds to unlock that door, Beale," Beca whispered, her hands not pausing in their journey north until they covered Chloe's breasts. "Or clothes are coming off whether we're inside or not."

Chloe whimpered as Beca's hands caressed her chest, sending shocks of pleasure through her. Thankfully, Beca's hands retreated at the sound of voices drawing closer, resting on her hips long enough for Chloe to force the key into the lock and open the door. They quickly stepped inside and Chloe had a moment to think as Beca moved toward the table, shedding her jacket and hanging it neatly on the back of a chair. She was grateful for the break, tossing her keys into the bowl on the small table and sliding her work bag underneath it.

Chloe felt Beca's eyes on her and looked up, finding her girlfriend leaning against the table waiting patiently for her to finish the routine actions. She was surprised at her own hesitation, suddenly feeling unsure of herself. It had been four months since she and Beca were in the same room, outside of their lunch today, and Chloe wondered if it was as simple as just picking right back up where they left off.

Beca seemed to sense something was wrong, pushing away from the table and closing the distance between them. Chloe studied the brunette, glancing from her hips up to the flash of something lacy under her simple v-neck to finally settle on the steady, dark blue gaze. Something in Beca's eyes calmed her, reminded her that it was them and that their connection was as strong as ever. She could see the desire and love in the way Beca was looking at her, reminding her not to get caught up doubting something that was so obviously true.

Chloe couldn't wait any longer, surging forward and connecting their lips, feeling Beca's hands immediately wrap around her to hold her close. God, it had been too long since she'd kissed Beca, savoring the feeling. She was torn between wanting this moment to last forever, or ripping Beca's clothes off as fast as possible. Chloe had just decided on the former when Beca's hands roamed insistently under her shirt, quickly working it up and off.

Before Chloe could say anything, Beca took advantage of the small separation to strip her own shirt off, leaving the redhead staring her breasts, pushed up and encased in white lace. Chloe's eyes went wide, immediately dropping her lips to the exposed skin along the top of the brunette's bra, forgetting all of her intentions to slow things down.

"You wore this on purpose," Chloe murmured, her hands coming up to cover the lace.

Beca sucked in a breath, her hands moving into Chloe's hair as she responded, "I thought you'd like it."

"I love it," Chloe purred, sliding one hand around the brunette's back. "But now it needs to go." She deftly opened the clasp, hurriedly pulling the cups away and capturing a nipple between her lips.

Beca moaned at the contact, pulling her bra off the rest of the way and flinging it aside. "Fuck, I've missed you, Chlo," she panted, as Chloe's thumb teased her other nipple.

They moved into the bedroom, shedding the rest of their clothes before tumbling into bed, Beca pinning Chloe beneath her and kissing her senseless. There was no replacement for Beca's warm body pressed against hers, and everything was heightened as the brunette's body ground down against her own.

Chloe's hips bucked at the first press of Beca's fingers between her legs, already embarrassingly worked up. In her defense, it had been months since Beca had touched her, and Chloe's own exploration found her girlfriend equally turned on.

Beca's head fell to her shoulder as Chloe pressed a single finger, then a second inside her, unable to do much more than hold firm as Beca rocked against her. Her own hips were moving in rhythm, Beca somehow having the mental capacity to curl them every few strokes to hit that spot deep inside her.

Chloe couldn't hold back any longer, her body exploding in pleasure with Beca's name on her lips, the brunette following her moments later. She was panting heavily as she withdrew her fingers, Beca's weight on her chest not exactly helping. Beca seemed to realize this after a few seconds, but Chloe's arm quickly trapped her when she tried to push away, refusing to let her go just yet.

"Wait," Chloe breathed, relishing the feeling of Beca's skin on hers.

Beca understood, pressing soft kisses to her neck, wiggling her fingers that were still snugly trapped inside her. Chloe whimpered as Beca's thumb found her clit, slowly working her back up again. She was already too sensitive from her first climax, her hips rocking with Beca's quickening pace until she was arching off the bed a second time with broken, high-pitched cries.

Beca slowed until she relaxed, and Chloe fell back limply when the brunette reclaimed her fingers. She closed her eyes, her lips curling into a slow grin as Beca kissed over her stomach and up her chest to her neck, finally reaching her lips.

"Done already?" Beca teased, her hand sliding up Chloe's thigh to her hip.

Chloe's eyes shot open, hearing the challenge in her girlfriend's voice. She quickly rolled over on top of the brunette, her thigh pressing intimately drawing a squeak of surprise.

Chloe smirked down at her, letting her fingers trail down between Beca's legs, murmuring, "Baby, we're just getting started."

* * *

Chloe's eyes fluttered open, her lips curling into a smile as she looked at the sleeping brunette beside her, face down in the pillow. She slowly stretched, her body slightly sore after their night together, before reaching out and trailing her fingertips over the lines tattooed in the middle of Beca's back. Chloe stroked over the smooth skin, moving up to trace the pink flowers curling over her shoulder. She loved Beca's tattoos, frowning for a second as she realized she didn't know the significance behind any of them. She guessed the headphones on her wrist were for Beca's love of all things music, but the rest remained a mystery.

Chloe ran her fingertips down the middle of Beca's back again, tracing over the series of lines wondering what they meant. It looked like some sort of bar graph, with each column made up of horizontal lines. She smiled as Beca twitched, turning her head to the side and cracking one eye open to look at her.

"How are you awake?" Beca mumbled, pressing her forehead back into the pillow.

Chloe chuckled, answering, "It's almost noon, Becs."

Beca groaned into the pillow, Chloe unable to understand her muffled complaints.

"When do you have sound check?" Chloe asked, still idly drawing patterns over her girlfriend's back.

Beca pushed herself up on her elbows, frowning as she thought about it. "Three, I think," she replied, shivering slightly as Chloe hit a sensitive spot. "Having fun?"

"Mm-hmm," Chloe grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to her shoulder. "I was looking at your tattoos, actually," she confessed, meeting Beca's eyes.

"Not creepy at all," Beca joked, looking back at her. "Do you hate them, or something?"

Chloe shook her head, fingertips tracing over the lines once more. "I think they're totes sexy, baby. I was more curious about them...like, why you got them? And what this one is?"

Beca hesitated, looking uncomfortable, and Chloe pulled her hand away. The brunette sighed, physically shaking her head and reached out for Chloe's hand, dropping her head but staying propped up on her elbows.

"I'm sorry, it's still such a reflex for me...to just shut down," Beca said quietly, not looking up as she stuck out her arm. "I got the grasshopper first because that's what my mom used to call me when I was little. I got the lotus flowers a few months later, pink because that was her favorite color. They're famous for emerging from murky or muddy waters perfectly clean, and it gave me confidence that I could overcome the hard times and come out better."

She paused, and Chloe pressed another kiss to her shoulder, knowing how huge this was for Beca to speak about. It was one of those rare moments when she learned the intimate details of Beca's life, and the fact that the brunette trusted her enough to let her into these private thoughts meant more to her than anything. Chloe knew how difficult it was for Beca to talk about her mom, and was trying not to tear up at the thoughtfulness and depth and consideration that went into each one of her tattoos.

"And this one?" she prompted softly, her fingers tracing over the lines. She couldn't help it; her curiosity was peaked after learning about the first two tattoos.

Beca took a deep breath, keeping her gaze locked on the pillow in front of her. "Um, it's equalizer bars...so like the frequency of a specific sound. It's usually shown as a wave or line, but I liked the way this looked better. I was looking through some stuff in storage when I found this box of home videos from when I was younger before my mom got sick. Her voice was so perfect..." Beca trailed off, and Chloe waited patiently for her to continue.

"So, I did some research and eventually figured out how to upload it into one of the programs on my computer and isolate the sound, and that's her voice. That's what her voice looks like, you know if you could see it," she finished, shrugging as if everything she'd just said was no big deal.

Chloe thought for a moment, intrigued by the idea of a visual image of someone's voice. "Is it just like a sound? Or words, like a song?" she asked, looking at the lines a little more closely.

Beca paused again, before answering softly, "It's my name...it's the way she said my name."

"Bec," Chloe whispered, sliding closer until she was pressed against the brunette's side. "That's incredible. You're incredible..." she trailed off, unable to put words to the emotions running through her at Beca's confession.

Beca just shrugged again, finally turning to look at her. "I know she's always with me, but this is a tangible way that I can see it. I can always look down at that grasshopper and think of her."

Chloe nodded, asking curiously, "Why get the equalizer bars on your back, then? You can't really see them there."

"You can't really see someone's voice, either," Beca said, her lips forming a small smirk. "It's just there."

If Chloe could explain why she loved Beca so much through a single interaction, it would have been this one. Beca was so much deeper than anyone gave her credit for, except maybe her parents and Stacie. This was the Beca she fell in love with, the one that was thoughtful and strong and brave and everything Chloe could have asked for in a partner. This was what was underneath the smirk and sarcasm and eyeliner, what the rest of the world didn't get to see. Chloe loved that Beca let her in past the defenses and the walls so that she got to know this amazing person that has been hurt so badly yet fought like hell to overcome it.

Chloe leaned in and connected their lips, unable to resist the desire to be as close to Beca as possible. The vulnerability was a total turn on for her, and she urged Beca onto her back, straddling her hips. Beca's hands roamed over her thighs before coming to rest on her hips, pulling back to look up at her.

"If that's the response, you can ask me anything you want," Beca smirked, her eyes dropping lower as she pulled Chloe's hips tighter against her own.

Chloe sighed, leaning down and kissing her again, before whispering against her lips, "I love it when you tell me things like that...when you open up to me. It's really, really, sexy."

Beca frowned for a second, causing her to pull back. "I know I'm not great at telling you how I feel, or opening up," she admitted, her hands moving back down Chloe's thighs. "I know you need to hear the words, and I want you to know I'm trying."

Chloe brushed a strand of hair away from Beca's face, tucking it behind her ear. "I know it's hard for you. That's why every time you open up, it means everything to me."

Beca rolled her over, taking up residence on Chloe's hips and leaned down to kiss her neck. "You mean things like no one's ever made me feel the way you do?" she whispered in her ear.

Chloe let out a breathy moan, nodding her head.

"Or that you're the most beautiful, intelligent, loving person I've ever known," Beca murmured, posing it as a statement instead of a question, letting her lips travel down Chloe's neck to her collarbone.

Chloe whined as Beca abandoned her journey south, needing the brunette to touch her. Instead, Beca leaned back and kissed her lips, saying, "Or that I've never let anyone know me the way you do."

Chloe returned the kiss, before gently pushing her back to look into dark blue eyes, hearing the slight waver in Beca's voice. She could see how hard Beca was trying, how much she meant those words, and how deep down there was still an underlying fear of getting hurt.

"Hey, I'm here. I'm in this with you, one hundred percent," Chloe whispered, her hands moving to hold Beca's cheeks and kissed her again. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

They finally tumbled out of bed and into the shower, Chloe wanting to take advantage of every minute they had together. She loved those moments together, the playfulness between them that she'd missed so much, or catching Beca staring at her as she got dressed. God, she'd missed Beca. It had been so long since they were really together, the summer only half-counting since they'd both been busy and weren't staying in the same place. Chloe finally felt like they were experiencing what it would be like to actually be together, and she was loving every second.

"Isaac should be here in a few minutes," Beca said, pulling on a pair of ripped skinny jeans. "We can grab some lunch on the way to the venue if you want."

Chloe nodded, "Perfect. I'm starving."

Beca smirked, retorting, "I'm not."

Chloe flushed at her tone, her mind instantly returning to the shower and Beca's head buried between her thighs. She felt the heat creeping into her cheeks as she forced her desire down.

Deciding not to indulge her girlfriend, she changed the subject. "I'm kinda nervous to meet your band."

Beca pulled her favorite purple plaid shirt on, leaving it open over a white v-neck and met her eyes. "Why? They're going to love you," she reasoned, looking down Chloe's body and suddenly frowning. "Maybe too much," she muttered to herself.

"What if they hate me? They're your band, and you're already super close with all of them..." Chloe trailed off, studying her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Beca came up behind her, slipping her arms loosely around her waist. "Chlo, they're going to love you. Everyone loves you. I'm excited to introduce you to them, despite how much shit they're going to give me."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her in the mirror, leaning back into her embrace.

"Apparently, I'm a total cheese ball when I'm talking to you, or about you, or thinking about you...no idea where they get that idea," Beca scoffed, spinning around to pull on her shoes, a pair of black converse that looked brand new.

"Well, are you?" Chloe asked, standing in the doorway grinning at her.

Beca rolled her eyes, responding, "Of course not. I'm a badass."

Chloe muffled a giggle with her hand as Beca stood up, shooting her a glare.

"Shut up, I am."

Chloe held her hands up innocently. "I didn't say anything. You ready?"

Beca nodded, swiping open her phone as she exited the bedroom.

They left the apartment, a thrill shooting through her when Beca took her hand, lacing their fingers together, despite the fact that at the moment her phone held her complete attention. Chloe led the way out to the parking lot, not surprised to find Isaac waiting beside a black town car with heavily tinted windows. She guided Beca between two parked cars as he opened the rear door.

"Hello, Ms. Beale," he said, his smile genuine.

Beca snorted at that, finally sleeping her phone and looked up at her driver.

"Hi, Isaac," Chloe replied, returning his smile. "Nice to see you again. And please call me Chloe."

"The pleasure is all mine, Chloe," he assured her as she slid into the car.

Beca rolled her eyes at the exchange, giving Isaac a grin and a fist bump as she joined Chloe in the backseat.

"No Scotty?" she asked when Isaac had resumed his place behind the wheel.

"He's already at the venue," Isaac replied, swiftly putting the car in gear and driving through the complex.

Chloe had only gotten a taste of Beca's life over the summer, but she realized quickly that things had changed over the months they'd been apart. Beca and Isaac's conversation of the schedule for the evening seemed extremely rehearsed, quickly covering the specifics of the show and Isaac's agenda. Beca seemed satisfied after about ten minutes, giving Chloe a brief smile as her phone chimed multiple times.

"Sorry, babe," Beca apologized, flicking the messages open and quickly reading them. "I know this is gonna be a lot to take in, and I've done a shit job of explaining what's going to happen."

Chloe shook her head, saying, "Don't worry. I'm just happy you're here with me."

Beca smiled at her, barely glancing down at the screen as she typed out a short reply. "Long story short, we're headed to the venue for sound check. That'll take a little while, and then I'll do some press while they flip the stage for Rascal Flatts. Then there's usually a VIP thing, which you can come to if you want. "Isaac?" she asked, pausing in her explanation. "Have you confirmed a pickup time for Aubrey and Jesse?"

Chloe knew her surprise showed on her face, not expecting those words to come out of Beca's mouth.

"Yep, I'm picking them up at six," was his response.

Beca grinned, saying, "Oh, yeah, surprise! I arranged for some VIP passes for Aubrey and Jesse so you wouldn't have to watch the show alone...or worse, with Scotty and Isaac."

Isaac responded immediately, "You'd be critical too if you'd had to watch the same show fifty times in the past four months."

Chloe fought the smile that was fighting to escape at the way Beca's eyes narrowed playfully. "Just remember who signs your paychecks," she threatened, no real intent in her tone.

"Just remember who drives your car and your career," Isaac retorted, his sarcasm matching Beca's.

Chloe laughed at that, poking Beca in the thigh whispering, "How's that burn feel, Becs?"

Beca sighed, admitting defeat. "You guys are the worst," she complained.

Chloe leaned over to kiss her, gasping when Beca turned away at the last second so her lips hit cheek. She didn't let it deter her, kissing Beca's now exposed neck and running her tongue over the piercings up her ear, enjoying the way the brunette squirmed in her seat.

Chloe finally pulled back, after Beca had given in and turned her head for a long slow kiss that had made her toes curl.

"Maybe you're not that bad," Beca admitted quietly, reaching over and taking her hand.

After a few more minutes, Isaac pulled into a small deli and parked, exiting the car after taking their sandwich orders. He was back before long, passing a bag of food back to Beca and tossing one lightly onto the passenger seat that Chloe presumed was his for later.

They spent the rest of the trip eating in comfortable silence, Chloe alternating between looking out the window and over at Beca, who was on her phone responding to emails and texts again. Isaac drove straight past all the security at the venue, stopping somewhere behind the stage surrounded by equipment, trucks, and buses.

As she climbed out of the car, Chloe looked around nervously, seeing for the first time exactly what goes into putting on these massive concerts. Beca slid out behind her, slipped her phone into her back pocket and looked around the arena. As if on cue, Scotty approached them and gestured for them to follow him back inside.

"Hey, Scotty. You remember Chloe?" Beca asked, falling into step beside him.

He gave her a tight smile, answering, "Of course. How are you?"

Chloe smiled back at the man, wondering slightly at the less than friendly greeting. "I'm good. You?"

Scotty nodded, replying, "Good, good. Becs, we have a slight problem."

He didn't elaborate, but Chloe could tell he was stressed out at the prospect of giving Beca bad news. Scotty led them to Beca's dressing room, which was small, but comfortably furnished. Chloe waited alone inside while Beca spoke to Scotty outside, wondering what it could possibly be as she heard the voices grow louder. Beca entered the room a few minutes later, looking visibly tenser than when they'd arrived.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, not feeling any better when she shut the door and joined her on the couch.

"A story broke today about our relationship," Beca began, her voice irritated. "They know your name, and that you were my teacher a few years ago."

Chloe's heart dropped, instantly fearing the worst. They'd worked so hard to cover all their tracks. She wondered if she was going to lose her job, or end up in jail. Before she realized it, she was hyperventilating at the thought, and Beca's arms were around her.

"It's okay, Chlo. It's just rumors and guesses...they can't prove anything. Just some stupid reporter that found out your name and knows how to use Google. Scotty will handle it," she finished, her voice sounding certain.

Chloe brushed at the tears falling down her cheeks, trying to believe what Beca was saying. "What if they find proof?"

Beca's face was tense, her jaw locked as she stared at the door, lost in thought. "They won't. Scotty will handle it before anything else can happen."

* * *

Chloe watched in awe from a spot near the front of the stands as Beca worked the stage, quickly running through a few songs during her sound check. She'd met the band briefly before they started, and was relieved that they'd all greeted her with huge hugs. Beca had told her a lot about each one of them, but it was different to actually put faces to the names.

She'd been the most surprised by Rachel, one of the guitarists and backup singers. Beca had conveniently left out the fact that at some point the woman had dyed her dark brown hair with florescent purple highlights that transitioned to hot pink, red, and finally ended in orange tips. It was tastefully done, and Chloe found herself imagining how hot Beca would look if she ever decided to do something similar. To go with the crazy awesome hair were visible tattoos, including an intricately detailed microphone with a cord that wound up her entire left arm, and a simple stud in her nose. Chloe watched her operate onstage with a cool confidence as if she'd been born with a guitar in her hands.

Her gaze shifted to Zak, the lead guitarist who also sang backup vocals, stationed closest to Beca onstage. He was the next youngest after Beca, only having turned twenty-one a few months prior, with spiky, jet black hair and shockingly blue eyes. Beca had described him as a prodigy, in disbelief many times over his talent with the instrument. Chloe liked him immediately, his playful attitude and goofy sense of humor clashing pleasantly with his tattoos and pierced eyebrow.

Her attention shifted to the man behind the drums, really only able to see his head. Derek, she recalled his name, noticing his face was contorted in a focused expression. He was young, like most of Beca's band, and Chloe remembered Beca telling her she wanted people she could relate to that weren't much older than she was. He had brown hair buzzed close on the sides, longer on top styled into a sort of mohawk, and what looked like several days of stubble along his jaw and chin.

She was momentarily distracted from her thoughts as Beca stopped the song they were doing, pulling an earpiece out with a frustrated look on her face. A tech guy with a headset approached her, listening to her for about thirty seconds before speaking quickly into his headset. Beca watched him retreat offstage, exchanging a few words with Alex before signaling they should start again.

Chloe kept her attention on the blonde bass player as she adjusted something on her instrument. She could see why Beca had chosen her, wondering if they'd bonded immediately over their matching broody appearance and a shared love of eyeliner. The woman was attractive and definitely had an alternative style, with multiple ear piercings of her own to go with dark clothes, boots, and black nail polish. Chloe was surprised when she gave her a genuine smile and a hug, not expecting it after Beca's description of her as more introverted than the rest of the band.

The last, and oldest, member of the band was Travis. He played the keyboard and was affectionately nicknamed "Gramps" for obvious reasons, although Chloe noticed immediately he looked much younger than his supposed thirty years. He also had his own style, with a buzzed head and neatly trimmed beard that highlighted his strong jaw. Chloe had smiled at his kind eyes and asked how he put up with the rest of the band, laughing at his reply calling them "whippersnappers." He seemed as easy-going as Beca, and she knew that her girlfriend probably had a massive soft spot for the man.

Chloe checked her phone and realized they should be wrapping up any minute now. She quickly snapped a few pictures of the band onstage, before zooming in to get a couple of just Beca. Chloe lowered the phone, watching Beca smirk at Rachel as they played a song Chloe didn't recognize, the other woman returning it with a wink. Before she could even think about feeling jealous, Beca turned to look straight at her and stopped playing her guitar to blow her a quick kiss that made her heart flutter like a teenage girl who's crush just acknowledged her existence.

They wrapped up the sound check after another minute or two, and Beca handed her guitar off to a roadie who spoke quickly in her ear for a second before hopping straight off the front of the stage to walk over to her.

"Okay, Beale. Let's go," she said, holding out her hand.

Chloe smiled, taking it as she stood up. "Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

Beca smirked, answering, "Backstage. My parents just got here."

* * *

The nerves hit her the minute the words left Beca's mouth, allowing the brunette to lead her through the backstage areas. Chloe had no idea what Beca's parents thought of her, especially after the way their relationship ended. She was given a moment to compose herself outside the open door of Beca's dressing room, watching her girlfriend hug her father and Sheila at the same time. It was a touching moment since Chloe knew that Beca hadn't seen her parents in almost a year.

In what felt like mere seconds but was probably more like a minute, Beca had stepped back and spun around, shooting her a wide smile as she beckoned her into the room.

"Dad, Sheila, you guys remember Chloe," Beca said, happily sliding her arm around Chloe's waist.

"Of course," Ben said, reaching out to her with a friendly look.

She relaxed a bit at the contact, and at the warm smile, Beca's dad gave her. "Hi, Dr. Mitchell," she said, returning the smile at his correction of "Ben, please," and shaking his outstretched hand. "Sheila," she added, a little more hesitant as she turned to the blonde.

The woman brushed aside her hand, stepping forward to give her a short hug. "Nice to see you again, Chloe," Sheila greeted, pulling back to hug Beca again.

"Geez, step monster, I know you miss having me around to do all the chores, but suffocating me isn't going to change anything," Beca grumbled, despite hugging back enthusiastically.

Sheila chuckled, replying, "Good to see you too, kid. We've missed having you around. I didn't realize how much you'd rubbed off on your dad until he got all surly all the time," she teased.

Ben shook his head at his wife's words in denial, stating, "I have no idea what she's talking about."

Beca grinned, saying, "Aw, dad, it's okay that you miss me. You should… I'm awesome."

"I'm not sure I like how all this fame has gone to your head," he said, a mock frown crossing his face. "Maybe we need to pull you back and have you go to college for a year or two..."

Chloe grinned at the look of terror on Beca's face as she shook her head no.

"No way, absolutely no," she refused, stepping back to Chloe's side and lacing their fingers together. "But I do have some news to tell you."

Sheila shrugged, saying, "Well, we know you're not knocked up. How bad could it be?"

Beca's jaw dropped as she sputtered to respond, her father looking equally uncomfortable until Chloe stepped in smoothly with, "I mean, we don't have sex at all, so that's definitely not it."

Beca snorted at that comment, as Sheila also broke down and laughed while Ben rolled his eyes, sighing heavily, before giving in and smiling with a shake of his head.

"You're going to be the death of me one day, Becs," he said ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck. "What is it?"

Beca grinned at Chloe, before looking back at him and saying excitedly, "I'm moving back to San Diego in a few months! As soon as the tour ends and I can get everything sorted out with my new contract."

Sheila clapped her hands happily, saying, "That's wonderful news! We'd love for you to be closer! Can you do that? You don't need to be in Nashville anymore?"

Beca shrugged, answering, "Not permanently. I chatted with Teddy not too long ago, and he's pretty confident I can relocate back here when I'm not recording, and maybe even if I am, depending on who I'm working with. I'm keeping the place in Nashville just in case, but I want to be here...with Chloe."

Chloe beamed at her words, but she didn't miss the way Sheila's smile froze for a split second. She almost wasn't sure if she saw it, as the woman was already turning to hug Ben, who looked like he might cry at the news. His emotional response to having Beca close again made Chloe's eyes hot, and she fought back a few tears herself.

"How's my main man?" Beca asked, and Chloe realized for the first time that Zeus hadn't been with Beca since she'd showed up at Barden.

Sheila smiled, saying fondly, "He's having a wonderful time with his gramma and grampa, isn't he Ben?"

Ben nodded, his voice polite at best when he added, "Yes. We are so thrilled to have him."

"Aw, come on Dad. Zeus is the best! How could you not love him?" Beca asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sheila snickered, filling in, "Zeus took all of five minutes to find Ben's favorite pair of shoes sitting by the door."

Before she could continue, Beca interrupted with a confused look on her face. "Wait, he's never chewed on any of my shoes before, and I leave them everywhere."

Ben scoffed, crossing his own arms over his chest as Sheila answered, "He didn't chew them up. He just decided to mark his territory….all over them."

Chloe covered her open mouth with her hand, elbowing Beca in the side when she burst out laughing.

"Sorry, dad," she said, not looking or sounding sorry at all. "I swear he's never done that before either."

"Well, it appears there's a first time for everything," Ben said grumpily.

A knock at the door broke up the happy moment, as all four turned to see Scotty standing expectantly in the doorway.

"Beca, it's time," he said, checking his watch.

Beca faltered for a moment, before nodding in understanding. "Well, let's go then," she said, gesturing for Chloe and her parents to follow her out the door, falling into step with Scotty.

"Give me the details," she said, taking the bottle of water he offered her and chugging down half of it. "Thanks."

Scotty nodded, replying, "It's an exclusive. I haven't given her any details, just that it's your official response. But, I can't do everything...you need to hire someone else."

Chloe saw Beca's frown and noticed her grip tighten on the water bottle.

"Scotty, why can't you just handle it? I don't want to hire any more people," she battled back, clearly not willing to let the man dictate anything.

"This isn't my job, Beca. We both know that. You need a publicist," he insisted, turning them down a different hallway.

Beca made a frustrated noise, taking another sip of water as she considered his words. Thoughts were flying fast and furious through Chloe's mind as she listened to their conversation. It clearly wasn't something Beca was trying to hide, and she knew it must have something to do with whatever story came out about their relationship. She'd forgotten about it momentarily, with the distraction of watching sound check and then meeting up with Beca's parents, but now the worry was back in full force as they stopped outside a new door.

Beca seemed to have made up her mind, conceding, "Fine, we'll discuss it later this week when we meet with Teddy."

Scotty seemed to approve of that answer, opening the door for Beca to walk through before turning to them.

"Beca asked me to brief you before you go in," he said hurriedly, checking his watch again. "The story broke on Beca and Chloe's relationship, and Beca has decided to get ahead of the rumors and give an exclusive interview to a single journalist, and publish an official statement to the rest of the world." He jerked his head at the door, indicating that it was about to happen.

"As you also just heard, I am not qualified to handle the level of publicity her career has reached, and she needs to hire a publicist. She's not very interested in bringing someone else into the team, but it's necessary. If she brings it up, please help her understand that," he requested.

Sheila nodded, resting a hand on the man's arm. "I'll speak to her, Scotty," she assured him, before leading Ben into the room.

Chloe moved to follow them, but Scotty's hand on her arm stopped her.

"I have every confidence in Sheila, but I know Beca, and she'll listen to you more than anyone else," he said simply. "I promise you, I have her best interests at heart, and I cannot do both jobs. She needs a publicist."

Chloe nodded her understanding, moving her own hand to pat his shoulder reassuringly. "Thank you, Scotty," she said, suddenly feeling a rush of gratitude for everything the man has done and sacrificed for Beca. "I'll speak to her too."

The relief in his smile and nod spoke volumes, and Chloe returned it before entering the small room, hearing the door shut behind her. She took in the setting, spotting Beca sitting on a small couch facing a reporter in a folding chair, with Ben and Sheila standing quietly in a corner. She moved to join Beca's parents, but the brunette met her eyes the minute she stepped inside, gesturing for Chloe to join her on the couch.

Chloe hesitated, before settling down beside the brunette, unsure if she should really be here.

Beca cleared that up immediately with brief introductions. "Amanda, this is my girlfriend Chloe. Chlo, this is Amanda Jones. She'll be writing the story, as well as sending us a recording of this interview so that Scotty can submit an official press release."

Chloe shook the woman's hand, saying softly, "Nice to meet you."

Amanda had a no-nonsense feel about her, not bothering to take notes because of the small recorder placed on the small coffee table between them. She didn't pull any punches, her questions immediately probing into their relationship.

"Beca, there are rumors circulating that Ms. Beale was your high school teacher. Would you care to comment on those?"

Chloe felt Beca stiffen for a second before she responded. "That is true. Chloe was my Biology teacher for my senior year of high school," Beca confirmed, before adding clearly, "But our romantic relationship did not begin until this past summer, more than a year after I graduated."

Amanda nodded, asking, "Do you feel that your relationship is inappropriate due to your past history?"

Beca replied forcefully, "No, I don't. Chloe and I ran into each other at a club in Nashville. I was DJing, as per my contract, and had no idea she would be there. I hadn't seen or spoken to her in more than a year before that night."

"But you don't feel that this is unusual, you dating your former teacher?" Amanda pressed, seemingly looking for a specific answer from Beca.

"No, I don't. I think that we are two consenting adults who reconnected and decided to date," Beca said simply. "It's no different to me than meeting a stranger under the same circumstance. Chloe may have been my teacher, but we did not have a relationship that even remotely resembles what we have now. In a way, reconnecting at that club was like meeting her for the first time."

Amanda nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. "How long have you been dating?"

Beca smiled, reaching over and lacing her fingers with Chloe's. "We've been dating for about six months, and I can honestly say that despite the distance and craziness of this tour, I've never been happier."

Amanda smiled at that, lining up her next question. "Last question, Beca. What do you have to say to people who don't approve of your relationship?"

Beca's eyes narrowed as she retorted, "I'd say they can kiss my..."

"Beca," Chloe interrupted, cutting her off immediately despite her voice staying soft. She met Beca's eyes, subtly shaking her head and imploring her girlfriend to take a higher road than the one she'd been speeding down.

Beca sighed, amending her previous statement. "I'd say that I don't need anyone's approval. Our families and friends are happy and supportive of our relationship, and that my private life is no one else's business. Thankfully, my happiness is not tied to whether or not people approve of my life and my decisions."

If Amanda had any other questions she wanted to ask, she remained quiet at a look from Beca and quickly ended the interview. She made a hasty exit after promising to send Scotty a copy of the recording and to exclude Beca's outburst in the final story. Chloe had mixed feelings after it was over, the dominating one being warm and fuzzy at how defensive Beca had been of their relationship. There would be plenty of push back, but Beca had made it clear that she didn't care what anyone said, and Chloe loved her all the more for it.

Beca stood up, looking tired as she pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Could you guys give us a minute, please?" she asked.

Chloe watched Ben and Sheila exit the room, thankful that they would have a moment alone. She didn't have time to react, as Beca kissed her the minute the door closed, forcing her to sit right back down on the couch after standing for Amanda's exit. She felt the need radiating off her girlfriend as Beca straddled her hips, opening her mouth to grant Beca's tongue access and feeling hands tangle in her hair. Chloe let her dominate the kiss for a minute, before slowly pulling back and looking into her eyes, trying to gauge her emotions.

"You okay?" she asked tentatively, searching Beca's eyes for the truth.

Beca exhaled slowly, letting her forehead drop to touch Chloe's. "Yeah, I'm okay. How'd I do?"

Chloe leaned up, kissing her slowly. "You were amazing, baby."

Beca gave her a weak smile, kissing her again, letting her hips rock against Chloe's lap. Beca's hands started to wander and Chloe was powerless to stop her, despite knowing that their moment of privacy was sure to be short-lived.

She pulled back, mumbling, "Baby..."

Beca didn't give her a chance to protest, kissing her hard again and sliding her hands under her shirt. Chloe felt the heat spreading through her at Beca's touch, losing herself in the moment. Before they could go any further, a sharp knock on the door sounded throughout the room.

Chloe pulled back, looking up at Beca's flushed face and swollen lips. "Good thing it's not super obvious what we've been up to," she quipped, gently pushing the brunette off her lap.

"Come on," she said, smiling at Beca's groan of protest. "Time to face the music."

* * *

Chloe was still reeling from meeting Rascal Flatts, one of her all-time favorite bands, and definitely not over the fact that she was now on a first name basis with all three men. She'd been completely starstruck at the casual way Beca interacted with them, it having finally dawned on her just how much time they spent together while on tour. They were all extremely polite and gracious, and Chloe had no idea how long it would take to sink in that she'd been invited to attend a post-tour party in Nashville once they'd wrapped everything up.

Beca was smirking at her, which didn't help her cool off from their earlier alone time either, and Chloe couldn't remember a time where she was as happy as this moment. She flung her arms around Beca's neck once they returned to her small dressing room, finally letting out the squeal she'd been holding in.

Beca laughed, "They couldn't wait to meet you. Apparently, I talk about you a lot."

Chloe grinned, leaning down and placing a kiss on her lips. "You're the best girlfriend ever!"

"And don't you forget it," Beca retorted, before mumbling about watching her fawn all over the three guys for the last twenty minutes.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Don't be jealous, Beca. I'd only leave you for two out of the three of them," she teased.

Beca scoffed, "That's it...see if I ever bring you backstage again. I'll be risking my relationship every time and I can't compete with these megastars."

"You don't have to, you're my star," Chloe said, painfully aware of how cheesy it sounded.

"Jesus, that was so sappy," Beca sighed, failing to keep the smile off her face. "I cannot be this much of a cheese ball."

A knock sounded at the door before Chloe could voice her happiness at just how sappy and adorable they were, instead spinning her head to look curiously behind them.

Beca pulled away, explaining, "I forgot. I have one more surprise for you."

She opened the door and Chloe let out another yell of excitement when she saw Aubrey and Jesse standing beside Scotty, both wearing VIP badges around their necks.

"Bree!" she exclaimed, moving quickly to hug her friend. "I totes forgot you guys were coming!"

Aubrey returned the hug, replying, "Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, Chlo. Beca, thank you for setting all this up...we both are excited to see the show."

Beca nodded awkwardly, still unsure if they could act normally around each other. She didn't have that problem with Jesse, who squeezed past the two women in the door to give her a hug.

"Becs, this is amazing!" he said, gesturing around. "I knew you'd make it. What's the tour been like?!"

"Crazy," she answered, relaxing a little more. "It's been a whirlwind, but I've had an amazing time and I've learned a ton."

Jesse nodded, replying, "Scotty gave us a brief tour of backstage. Is this what it's always like?"

Beca nodded, "Pretty much. Just chaos most of the time. One of the hardest parts has been trying to manage everything. I'm super thankful that Chloe's been so understanding… I know it hasn't been easy on her."

The smile spread across her face before she could stop it, prompting a nudge from Aubrey.

"God, Chloe, you look like a love struck teenager," she whispered. "She's been back for one day and you've forgotten everything, haven't you?"

Chloe sighed, turning her attention away from Beca and Jesse's conversation. "Bree, I love her, okay? Like really love her, so can you please, please, please for me, just try to not hate her?"

She watched the conflicting emotions battle it out on Aubrey's face before the blonde relented, giving her a sharp nod. "Okay, Chlo, you're right. I'm not being supportive at all. I'm sorry, and I promise I'll try harder with the ho...Beca."

Chloe smiled, choosing to ignore the almost slip up and be happy that Aubrey was willing to try to bury the hatchet. She turned back to her girlfriend, who was animatedly discussing new mash-up ideas with Jesse for the choir when a voice in the doorway commanded their attention.

"Beca, it's time. You're on in fifteen," Scotty informed, looking pointedly at her.

Beca nodded, saying, "Got it. Okay, so you guys are all VIPs. Scotty will take you to your seats. All food and drinks are on me tonight, so have a good time. I'll see you after the show."

Chloe nodded, feeling a slight sadness knowing that Beca wouldn't be there with her, which was stupid since she obviously couldn't perform and watch the concert with her at the same time. She was surprised when Beca stepped over to her and pressed a firm kiss to her lips, whispering, "Have fun. I'll see you soon," before exiting the room without a backward glance.

Chloe knew her cheeks were flushed pink, and the slightly uncomfortable looks from Aubrey and Jesse weren't helping. "I know it's still weird..." she trailed off, unsure of how they felt about actually seeing their relationship in person.

Jesse shook his head, giving her a warm smile. "Chloe, it's fine. We just haven't seen you two together...well, ever. It's new, but as long as you're happy, Bree and I are happy. You both deserve to be...happy," he finished lamely as if upset at his own word choice. He looked at Aubrey, asking, "I said happy too many times, didn't I?"

Bree nodded. "I'm happy you asked because the answer is yes," she teased, and Chloe laughed at his wounded expression.

"She's helping me expand my vocabulary," Jesse explained, as Aubrey planted a kiss on his cheek. "Apparently, it's her duty as an English teacher."

"Aw, Bree, he's fine," Chloe said, giving Jesse a gentle pat on the back before moving past them to the door where Scotty was waiting for them.

Aubrey followed Chloe out of the door, huffing, "It wouldn't kill him to speak more like a grown man than a teenage boy, that's all."

Jesse grinned, replying, "But I'm already fluent in teenage boy. That's why the students love me so much."

"And why my parents think I'm making a terrible mistake," Aubrey mumbled, out of earshot of her boyfriend.

Chloe turned around, raising an eyebrow at the blonde, she sighed and shook her head to let her know now wasn't the time to talk about it. She nodded, following Scotty to the VIP section where Beca's parents were already sitting, along with a few more people Chloe didn't recognize. She introduced Ben and Sheila to Aubrey and Jesse, the five of them making small talk until the lights went down signaling that the show was about to start.

Chloe took her seat, anxiously watching the stage as she waited for Beca to appear. The stage remained dark for a few more minutes, though she could see people dressed in dark clothing hurriedly moving around. It was still for a moment, and then she recognized Beca's band taking their places, spotting her girlfriend the instant she moved into sight.

The lights came on right when they started to play, and Chloe was mesmerized watching Beca onstage. She couldn't tear her eyes away as Beca confidently performed with her band, looking right at home up there in front of thousands of screaming fans. She had a flashback to the night she, Aubrey, and Jesse had caught Beca and her friends at the karaoke bar, recalling the similar feeling watching Beca sing in front of people. The brunette may not want to tour or keep putting out albums, but it was undeniable that she belonged up there.

Chloe cheered and sang along to the ones she recognized off Beca's first album, and listened intently to the new ones that she hadn't heard before. Thankfully hearing the new single live didn't hurt as much as when it came on the radio, probably because Beca had a wide smile on her face and was encouraging all her fans to join in and sing with her.

She laughed when Beca knelt down next to the front row and let a few people snap selfies with her, before going so far as to borrow a phone and snap her own selfie with Rachel, Zak, and Alex, before returning it to it's rightful owner. At some point, she stole a flat-brimmed hat from a guy in the crowd, and Chloe felt a pull in her gut when Beca put it on backward for the rest of the song, before autographing it and returning it.

It was incredible, but Chloe also felt like she was watching a completely different person up there. Beca had developed this magnetic stage presence and the people were eating it up, but Chloe's attention was drawn to the stark contrast of how Beca was when they were alone. Chloe knew her to be quiet and introverted, and borderline broody when she wasn't being adorably cute. This Beca was the exact opposite, and Chloe was struggling to process this new side of Beca, almost in disbelief as she watched the brunette perform. At the same time, she was so proud of Beca for all she'd accomplished, knowing that developing this type of stage presence had probably been difficult for her.

Chloe glanced to the side, recognizing the awe on Ben and Sheila's faces as they watched their daughter. She knew a little of what they were experiencing, and the proud look on Ben's face made her slightly emotional, knowing it hadn't been that long ago that he'd been dead set against Beca following this path.

She was drawn out of her thoughts when Beca stepped to the mic, figuring it must be close to the end of her set.

"So, we've got a special surprise for you guys tonight!" Beca said loudly into the mic, waiting a moment for the resounding cheers in reply. "Since you all have been so awesome!"

Chloe looked over at Aubrey and Jesse, laughing as the blonde rolled her eyes.

"This is a brand new single that we've been working on during the tour, and this is the first time we've ever performed it live!" Beca shouted, stepping back from the mic to wink at Zac.

Chloe raised her eyebrows, a little surprised that Beca would be playing a brand new song live without even recording it in the studio first. She turned around to see if Scotty was in the section with them, but didn't see Beca's manager who'd been periodically checking in throughout the show. She turned back to the stage just as the band started to play, Beca out front comfortably playing her favorite guitar. Chloe knew her jaw dropped after the first few lines and quickly moved her hand to cover her mouth in surprise.

_Yeah, the ink may stain my skin_

_And my jeans may all be ripped_

_I_ _'m not perfect, but I swear I'm perfect for you_

As she moved into the chorus, Chloe felt her heart swell with emotions at the song. It was amazing, the lyrics and the melody combining seamlessly into the best song Beca had ever written, at least in her completely biased opinion.

_Yeah, your friends may think I'm crazy_

' _Cause they can only see_

_I_ _'m not perfect,_

_But I swear I'm perfect for you_

She laughed at the lyrics, turning to give a sly look at Aubrey, who only sighed and shook her head. Chloe hooked her arm around Aubrey's, leaning into her friend as she listened to Beca serenade her in front of thousands of people. It was easily one of the best moments of her life, and she couldn't wait to tell Beca how much she loved the song.

_And there's no guarantee, that this will be easy_

_It's not a miracle you need, believe me_

_Yeah, I'_ _m no angel, I_ _'m just me_

_But I will love you endlessly_

_Wings aren't what you need_

_You need me_

Chloe couldn't be sure, but she saw Beca's steady gaze roaming the crowds around their section as if looking for her. She knew from the sound check that it was almost impossible to make out anyone in the crowd under the harsh lights of the stage, but she felt it, their connection….and knew that this song was for her. It helped, probably more than Beca could know, for Chloe to think back over all the times that she hadn't called and realized that she was working on this song…or another one like it. It made it a little easier to know that Beca hadn't just forgotten her while in the craziness of the tour, but had spent hours upon hours working on a song to tell Chloe just how much she meant to her. And it made all the difference in the world.

Chloe had been right in her assumption that Beca's set was almost over, and the band closed out with one of the top songs off her first album to raucous cheers. Chloe stood with everyone else in their little section, cheering on her girlfriend before exchanging quick hugs with Ben and Sheila.

"She was incredible," Ben said, shaking his head in disbelief as he sat back in his chair. "I can't believe that was my daughter up there…. I mean, you remember what she used to be like," he gestured to Sheila.

The blonde smiled and answered, "Ben, she's grown up a lot. She was always a good kid, under that eyeliner and scowl. Now, she's clearly found a ray of sunshine that's brightened her up a bit," she finished, giving Chloe a pointed look.

"It was always in her," Chloe said, still battling the fuzzy feelings in her stomach that had taken residence there upon hearing Beca's new song. "She figured it out, and she's doing what she was meant to do. I'm so happy for her."

Sheila nodded, but countered, "Give yourself a little credit, Chloe. She came out of her shell when she met you. Became bolder, more confident, and more willing to go after her dreams. I'm not sure she's up there right now without your impact in her life."

Chloe blushed at the compliments, mumbling, "I supported her, that's all."

Ben shook his head, leaning closer and lowering his voice so they weren't overheard, "And you loved her. You know I wasn't supportive of your relationship, but I'm happy she found you, Chloe. You make her happy."

Chloe was about to respond when Ben leaned back with a smile as two arms slipped loosely around her neck from behind and lips pressed against her cheek. She quickly spun around to see Beca, her signature smirk in place.

"Bec! You were amazing!" she exclaimed, jumping up and wrapping her girlfriend in a tight hug.

Beca laughed, hugging her back just as tight. "Thanks, babe. Did you like the new song?" she whispered.

Chloe murmured, "I loved it…and I can't wait until later to show you just how much."

Beca pulled back, looking visibly flustered at her words. Chloe winked and gave her a quick kiss, before spinning her around to hug her parents. After Beca had said hi to everyone, Chloe laced their fingers together to capture her attention.

"Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but I didn't think you could escape until after the show?" Chloe asked curiously.

Beca shrugged, answering, "Usually I perform a song or two with Rascal Flatts, but I asked them if we could skip it tonight."

"Why?" Ben asked, looking confused.

Beca smiled at Chloe. "See, my girlfriend is a massive Rascal Flatts fan…and I managed to get her VIP tickets to their concert…and I thought that maybe she'd enjoy it even more if we got to watch it together as my final surprise of the evening?"

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise as she jumped on Beca, wrapping her in another fierce hug. "I love you so much!"

Beca laughed, asking, "So, that's a yes, then?"

Chloe nodded, replying, "Yes! I felt silly before you went on because I thought the only thing that could make this better was if you were here to watch with me. Which, obviously you can't watch and perform at the same time, but…"

Beca cut her off with a kiss, pulling back just enough to say, "You're rambling, Chlo."

Chloe nodded, kissing her again before remembering Beca's parents were about five feet away. "How are you so perfect?"

Beca smirked, answering, "I'm not perfect, but I swear I'm perfect for you."

Chloe sighed happily, the lyrics already cemented into her brain as they settled into their seats to watch Rascal Flatts perform. "Yeah, I think you just might be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to Arsto for proofing this chapter for me! My grammar has definitely gotten worse since I began this journey.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to support this story! You're all awesome!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter continues on from Chloe's POV, then switches to Beca's and backtracks just a bit, so keep an eye out for that.

* * *

 

Chloe took a slow sip of her coffee as she followed Sheila out of the coffee shop to a small patio seating area. They'd just dropped Beca and Scotty off to meet with Teddy, and the blonde had suggested they grab a cup of coffee to pass the time. Sheila had been friendly along the drive downtown, but Chloe could still sense that something wasn't quite as okay as it seemed. She settled into a chair across from the woman in a corner of the patio, noticing they had a bit of privacy from the few other guests sitting outside.

"Thanks for the coffee," Chloe began, trying to calm the nervous feeling that appeared in her stomach.

Sheila smiled, replying, "Oh, it's nothing. I'm happy to have some time to get to know you a little better... and talk about a few things."

Chloe nodded, also glad of the opportunity to speak to the woman alone. She'd instantly liked her after that first meeting in her classroom a couple years ago, but the way Sheila's face turned serious had her back on edge.

"Chloe, I'll be honest with you, I'm still coming to terms with you and Beca getting back together," Sheila said bluntly, her gaze unwavering. She paused for a moment and took a deep breath, gently spinning her coffee cup in slow circles on the table.

"I hated you... just flat out despised everything about you. How could you do that to Beca?! I thought you got it, you understood how big a deal it was that she opened up to you, trusted you... and you crushed her anyways. You almost ruined her. And I trusted you! I fought with Ben for weeks about you, and convinced him it was okay, that you were good for her..." Sheila trailed off, looking away around the small courtyard.

Chloe felt each statement like a punch to the stomach. She'd been right. Sheila was not as okay with her and Beca getting back together as she had seemed. Chloe hadn't realized that, not only had she let Beca down but in a way, she'd also let Sheila down. That wound was clearly still wide open. She opened her mouth to respond, but Sheila held a hand up to stop her.

"I'm not finished."

Chloe nodded, deciding to take a sip of coffee instead and hear her out.

"I've never felt anything like that before. The pain, and rage, and anger... God, I was so mad at you. Beca doesn't let people in. She doesn't open up or get close to anyone, but she trusted you and you betrayed that trust," Sheila said, her words biting despite her even tone.

"I may not be her biological mother, but that kid is mine, and you broke her," Sheila continued, pausing to take a sip from her cup. "All those maternal instincts that God knows I've never had, or even wanted to have, suddenly appeared and took over. I wanted to hurt you as badly as you hurt her. I thought daily about turning you in, to make you pay for what you'd done."

Chloe held her breath, praying that a "but" was coming at some point. This was not at all how she pictured their conversation going, and her mind was reeling at the information Sheila was rapidly firing at her. Yet, the woman maintained a sense of calm that contradicted the anger in her words. Chloe felt every bit the chastised child that was paying for her mistakes, thinking idly for a moment that, for not having been a biological mother, Sheila had this whole lecturing thing down.

Sheila's expression turned thoughtful, continuing, "But then I saw you, maybe a couple weeks after Beca left. Purely by chance at the grocery store one day. I was a split second from telling you exactly what I thought of you, but then I actually saw you. You know, not just the initial haze of recognition, but I saw you and I knew that look. Hollow, empty... like Beca. And I couldn't for the life of me figure out why... I mean, you left her..." Sheila trailed off, frowning as she went quiet, thinking.

Chloe felt hot tears well up in her eyes, remembering exactly how painful those first few weeks were. She remembered how lonely it was, and how much she'd missed Beca.

Sheila seemed to snap out of wherever she'd gone to, looking directly at Chloe. "I didn't... Beca never told us what happened. Just that you broke up with her and she was leaving. I think I understand now, though. She was going to stay, wasn't she?"

Chloe nodded, unable to speak as all the emotions of that day hit her.

"And you didn't want to be the reason she stayed," Sheila mused, shaking her head with a defeated sigh.

Chloe found her voice, saying softly, "I did what I thought was best for her. I was so mad at her for not going on her own. I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I panicked in the moment and said some really stupid things. I lied, and I hurt her... but I never stopped loving her."

Sheila met her eyes again. "Beca didn't tell us what she had decided to do. She kept Ben and I in the dark about her decision, and it was her life. She had the right to make that decision, and I firmly believe you were wrong for making it for her. We can argue all day that taking the deal was the best thing for her, but it was Beca's decision to make, not yours, and she would have had to live with the consequences."

Chloe fell silent, knowing the truth behind the blonde's words. It should have been Beca's choice. Who was she to decide what was best for Beca? Guilt flooded her as all the times Beca talked about not wanting to tour or record her own music flashed through her mind. What if this wasn't what Beca really wanted for her life? What if she would have been happier staying anonymous, recording out of Luke's small studio and following her real dream of being a producer?

It must have been showing on her face because Sheila calling her name snapped her back into the moment.

"Chloe... if it helps, I don't... I don't hate you anymore," Sheila said, a small smile appearing on her face. "But, I don't fully trust you with my daughter either. I don't ever want to see Beca go through that again. What's done is done. We are all human, and we all make mistakes, and we hurt the people we love."

Chloe smiled at the way Sheila said "my daughter." She might not be Beca's biological mother, but she knew how much the brunette cared for her stepmother, and truthfully she was thankful that the blonde loved Beca like her own.

Sheila sipped her coffee again before leveling her gaze at Chloe. "I need to know... are you in this with her? I mean, really in... one hundred percent, no matter what happens? Beca isn't some high school kid in your class anymore. She's a world famous artist and DJ. There will be all kinds of people butting into your life, rooting for you to fail, and ready to replace you at a moments notice. Relationships are hard enough without the eyes of the world watching your every move."

Chloe felt the weight of Sheila's words hit her. This was it. Sheila wasn't saying everything was okay between them, but she was offering Chloe an olive branch. It was as close to a do-over as she was going to get, and she wasn't going to hesitate when Beca was concerned.

"She was never just some kid in my class," Chloe answered, sitting up a little straighter in her chair and looking Sheila in the eye. "She's the most original, beautiful, genuine person I've ever met. I was drawn to her the moment I met her, and nothing I did to stay away mattered. Breaking up with her was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I believed it was the best thing for her and that if we were meant to be, we'd find a way back to each other. Totes cliche, I know, but here we are."

Chloe took a breath, her eyes dropping to her hands as she continued in a softer tone, "She's the love of my life, and I knew it a long time ago. Somehow I have a second chance with her, and I would never do anything to make her question how I feel about her. I'm in this with her, and all the fame and money means nothing to me. I loved her before any of it, and if she never wanted to sing or perform again I would still want her. She's the one, and I know she's not ready for that yet, but I'll wait as long as it takes because I need her in my life."

Chloe looked up to see Sheila trying to subtly wipe a tear from her eye, a much happier smile on her face.

"That's good to hear," Sheila said, a little more emotion in her voice. "It's easy to see how happy Beca is when she's with you. I would never try to keep you two apart. Don't hurt her again, Chloe."

Chloe shook her head quickly, recognizing the slight warning in her final words. "I won't."

Sheila gave her another small smile, saying, "I like you, Chloe. I honestly do think you're exactly what she needs. I'm trusting you again, possibly against my better judgment. Don't make me regret it."

"You won't. I won't lose her again."

Sheila nodded, and Chloe breathed a small sigh of relief. She hadn't been prepared for that conversation, but it seemed like she had made some headway at repairing the damaged relationship between herself and Beca's parents, or at least Sheila.

"You know, Chloe. I meant what I said at the concert. I think you're good for her. You challenge her and keep her grounded at the same time. She's all doom and gloom and sarcasm most of the time, and you seem like a very upbeat and positive person. And she loves you, which doesn't hurt."

Chloe nodded, blushing slightly. God, she would never get tired of hearing that Beca loved her. All the pain and heartache was worth it to get to this moment, where they could be together and happy, recalling how they'd talked for hours last night over the timeline for Beca to move back to California in January. Chloe had briefly questioned if it was too fast for them to be moving in together but quickly realized that there had never been a time when Beca was in her life that she felt they'd had enough time together. Beca had also reminded her that she would still be working, not just laying around waiting for Chloe to come home from school every day.

"Sometimes, I'm scared of how much I love her," Chloe admitted, meeting Sheila's eyes. "She has this whole new life that I'm not really a part of... I worry sometimes that I won't fit, or that she'll meet someone else who gets what she's going through all the time."

Sheila chuckled, shaking her head. "I wouldn't worry about that. Beca's a rebel. I don't think that'll ever change. She's not going to bow to the pressures or worry about what people think of her. You heard her in that interview the minute that reporter pressed too far. Like I said, you keep her grounded, so just stick with her and help her through it and you two will be fine."

The blonde checked her watch, leaning back in her chair as she spoke again. "Seems like their meeting is running a little long. I don't actually know that much about you, Chloe. I know you teach Biology at Barden, that you're from Tennessee, and that you're in love with my kid. Tell me something I don't know."

Chloe returned the woman's genuine smile, answering, "I love teaching, so much. I love helping kids and being around them and watching them succeed. I'm one of five kids, four older brothers, who were terribly overbearing but I love them anyways."

Sheila laughed, replying, "Beca mentioned spending July fourth with your family. She said it was a little overwhelming but that they were all very welcoming."

Chloe smiled, thinking back over that summer day. "Yeah, I was worried you'd be upset about the whole firework incident."

Sheila's face turned concerned, saying, "What firework incident?'

Chloe knew her guilty face gave her away, as Sheila stared at her. "Well, every year my family sets off fireworks at our lake house, and a few malfunctioned. We were all fine, just some minor bumps and bruises," Chloe said carefully, keeping her voice as light as possible.

Sheila held her gaze for a moment, before relenting. "So no one was hurt?"

Chloe shook her head, answering, "Not seriously. Like I said, just a few bumps and bruises from reacting. We're all fine, and my mom has now banned any future Beale firework shows."

"Good woman," Sheila said. "I've heard some wonderful things about her from Beca. I'm looking forward to meeting her someday."

Chloe quickly forced a smile, saying, "Yeah, of course."

She hadn't pictured their parents meeting, but it made their relationship feel so... real. Families meeting was something that real couples did when they were serious. Chloe was still adjusting to the fact that she and Beca were finally doing this, for real. She was so excited for Beca to move in with her and really begin their life together. She was saved from carrying the conversation any further when her phone started ringing, recognizing the ringtone as Beca's.

"Hey, baby," Chloe greeted, giggling at Sheila's wink from across the table.

_"Hey. We just finished up here. Want to grab lunch before we head back?"_

"Totes. We grabbed some coffee, but I think lunch sounds great. What about Scotty?" Chloe asked, slowly rising to her feet.

_"He's heading to LA to prep for the two shows this weekend. Teddy recommended a place for lunch. Text me the name of the shop and I'll come meet you."_

"Sounds good. See ya soon!" Chloe said cheerfully, hanging up after Beca said goodbye.

She turned to Sheila, asking, "Up for some lunch? We can grill her about her meeting with Teddy."

Sheila nodded, tossing their cups in a trashcan. "Lunch sounds great."

They weaved their way back through the shop and exited out the front door, waiting on the sidewalk for Beca to find them.

"Chloe, I hope you didn't think I was too forward. I just don't want to see Beca get hurt again," Sheila said, glancing down the street for any sign of the brunette.

Chloe shook her head, replying, "It's okay, I completely understand. Beca is lucky to have you in her life. Both you and Ben support her completely, and I could never be mad that she has two loving, supportive parents."

Sheila nodded, giving her a smile. "Beca told me she invited you to spend Christmas with us. I hope you will. We would love to have you."

Chloe's heart swelled at the words. "She did, but that means a lot to me. I'd love to spend Christmas with your family. Can't miss an opportunity to watch Beca's heart grow three sizes in one day."

They both laughed as Beca turned the corner and approached them, looking curiously from one woman to the other.

"I don't want to know," she said, giving Sheila a hug before slipping her arm around Chloe's waist. "Hey, babe."

Chloe grinned at her, surprised when she stretched up to place a chaste kiss to her lips. "Hey," she said, a little breathless. It was insane the things that Beca did to her with even the simplest show of affection.

"Ready?" Beca asked, looking back to her stepmother despite running her hand over Chloe's back.

At Sheila's nod, Beca grinned and took Chloe's hand, leading them down the street.

* * *

_(BECA'S POV)_

Beca had one of Chloe's hands in both her own, face up as her fingers traced over the lines in her palm. She glanced up at the smile on the redhead's face, despite the fact she was looking out of the window at downtown San Diego. Beca wasn't thrilled about hiring a publicist but, after both Sheila and Chloe had said something to her, she relented agreeing to add the item to the list of things to discuss with Teddy. Scotty had irritated her to no end about it, but she couldn't ignore the way Chloe had skillfully persuaded her to see reason... multiple times.

Her time in California couldn't be going better, and Beca drifted back over their conversation last night. She wanted to be back in San Diego by the end of January at the latest, tired of being away from Chloe and missing her parents. Beca had also wanted to be sure that Zeus was allowed to stay in Chloe's apartment since she knew there were plenty of rules and regulations surrounding his breed. Sadly, pit bulls were still terribly stereotyped so it didn't matter to anyone that Zeus was the sweetest dog in the world or that he had never harmed a fly.

Chloe assured her it would be fine, but Beca still held some reservations about Chloe's small apartment. She'd grown accustomed to the large space in Nashville and knew it would be a big change to go from that to Chloe's one bedroom. Beca wasn't sure how to bring it up and had instead gone the route of asking her girlfriend if she would be interested in finding a bigger place together, hinting that Zeus was a big dog who needed exercise. Chloe had agreed immediately but reminded Beca that her lease wasn't up until July. Beca fought the urge to say she would pay whatever cancellation fee was necessary, not wanting to just throw money at the problem, and suggested they use the time to look for a place they both would love to move into after Chloe's lease ended. It was definitely the right decision, and Beca had been rewarded with that beaming smile she loved so much. The fact that it had led to other fun activities was just a bonus.

Sheila pulled up to the curb in front of the office building, flipping the hazard lights on to give them a moment.

Beca unbuckled her seatbelt, "Thanks for the ride. This shouldn't take too long, and then we can get lunch after?"

Sheila nodded. "That works. We'll get coffee or something. You two go work out a plan to hire a publicist."

"We will," Scotty answered as he climbed out onto the sidewalk. "Thanks for the lift, Sheila."

"You're welcome, Scotty. Take care of the kid!" Sheila called, a grin on her face.

Beca rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she said bye to Chloe and climbed out of the car, flipping her stepmom off through the window.

Scotty laughed at her, "Well, come on then, kid. Let's go see the attorney."

"Play nice," Beca chastised him, falling into step as they approached the building. "I already talked to him about it. You two need to realize you're both on Team Beca and end this stupid pissing contest."

Scotty narrowed his eyes but chose not to respond. Instead, he grabbed the door handle, swinging it open for Beca to pass through first.

They entered the lobby and were immediately shown into a familiar conference room where bottled water awaited them on the table. Beca sat down in one of the comfortable chairs, grabbing a bottle and taking a quick sip. Scotty remained standing beside her, looking around the room.

"Nice place he's got here," he mumbled, taking in the expensive furnishings.

Beca scoffed, "Yeah, well, he works for me, right? Only the best."

Scotty laughed, retorting, "You have no idea how much any of this costs. You didn't even look at the bill for decorating and furnishing the apartment in Nashville that you're so eager to give up."

"Dude, why would I want to go back to Nashville when Chloe is here? Besides, I'll still use that apartment when I go back to record, or hopefully produce other artists," Beca reasoned, swiveling to look at him. "Sit down, you're making me anxious lurking behind me like that."

Scotty huffed and dropped down into the chair beside her. "Does he always keep you waiting..."

Before he could finish the question, Teddy entered the room, his face breaking into a wide grin when he spotted Beca.

"Becs! Great to see you," he greeted, dropping his small stack of papers on the table instantly and moving to give her a hug. "How are you?"

Beca returned his grin, hugging him back saying, "Great. Looking forward to moving back to California."

Teddy stepped back, pausing a moment before extending a hand to Scotty. "Scott, nice to see you as well."

Beca saw her manager cringe slightly at the formal tone and name but was glad he took the high road shaking Teddy's hand.

"Likewise, Mr. Rook. Always a pleasure," Scotty answered smoothly, before returning to his seat.

Beca sat down beside him, waiting patiently for Teddy to circle the room and sit opposite the pair across the table. She remained quiet as he got settled, moving a couple folders aside to reveal a black notebook which he flipped open to a blank page before leveling a cool stare at Scotty.

"Scott, you think Beca needs to hire a publicist, correct?" Teddy asked, already jotting down a few things into the notebook.

Beca heard the sharp breath beside her and decided enough was enough. "Teddy, we talked about this," she said firmly, pausing until he met her gaze. "His name is Scotty. I'm not going to sit here watching you two glare at each other for an hour. We're all on the same fucking team, so act like it."

Teddy sighed, fiddling with his bowtie for a moment before nodding. "Fine, you're right. Scotty, tell me what's on your mind for this publicist, and we'll figure out the best way to hire them."

Scotty cleared his throat, glancing quickly at Beca before speaking. "Beca isn't happy about this, but I'm not qualified or, frankly, knowledgeable enough to handle the type of publicity her career and personal life are attracting. Her relationship with Ms. Beale is now public knowledge and has already generated both good and bad responses on many social media and publication sites. She needs someone smart, a fast-thinking problem solver that will look out for her image and spin things in a favorable light."

Beca rolled her eyes, interrupting, "I'm right here, you know."

Scotty gave her a smile, his tone patronizing as he replied, "We are very aware. You're the reason we're here today, after all."

"Yeah, well... fuck you," Beca mumbled, gesturing for him to get on with it.

Teddy smiled, holding back a laugh at their exchange. "Very well. It so happens I agree with him, Becs. Your career is at a point where you need someone to help you manage all this. Scotty, admittedly, is excellent at his job and is in need of the help."

Scotty smirked, asking, "How'd those words taste?"

"Like acid," Teddy shot back begrudgingly. "But I can recognize that you're good at your job, the way you have already acknowledged that I am exceptional at mine."

Beca grinned. "Look at you two getting along. You'll be besties by the end of this meeting."

"Hardly."

"Unlikely."

Both men spoke in low tones under their breath at the same time, causing Beca to chuckle. "So stubborn. Okay, fine, I accept that I need a publicist. Do I have to like them?"

Scotty shook his head. "Ideally, you would like them. Knowing you, I'll be happy as long as you don't hate them and let them do their job."

"Done," Beca agreed immediately. "How much is this going to cost me?"

Teddy flipped open a new folder, looking through the papers until he found what he was looking for. "There are two ways to go about this. You can go with a representative from an established firm, in which case they usually negotiate a standard monthly or quarterly fee. You would not likely be that rep's only client, but they would be experienced in handling the publicity for someone like you."

Beca nodded, asking, "Or...?"

"You can hire an individual representative who works privately. This doesn't guarantee you are their only client, but you could probably negotiate that, or find someone who would agree to not take on anyone else. There isn't really a precedent for that relationship, and we would have a bit more freedom in negotiating how to pay them. The downside is that you'd be depending on references and word of mouth for their qualifications."

Beca hummed, thinking through the details Teddy had just given her before looking at Scotty. "What do you think?"

Scotty rubbed his jaw, taking his time to answer. "At this point, I'd prefer a professional. Someone established, who knows what they're doing and won't need a lot of instruction."

"I'm fine with that," Beca agreed.

Teddy nodded, scribbling furiously down in his notepad. "Okay, then. I can get in touch with several agencies and find someone appropriate."

"Good." Beca clapped her hands, glancing over to see Scotty's nod of approval. "Next item of business. My new contract with BMR. Teddy?"

Teddy finished jotting down the last few words and flipped the page in his notebook. "I've been in touch with their representative, and they're offering to let you out immediately after the tour without exercising any of the extension options provided you agree to a minimum of three albums on the next contract at significantly higher royalty rates for you."

Beca shook her head emphatically. "No, that's not what we discussed. I want to produce! I don't want to spend my life recording and then promoting and going on tour for months at a time. That won't work for me."

Teddy frowned, flipping open another folder and scanning quickly over more writing. "He said if you don't commit to the three album extension, they can force you to record at least one, probably two more albums at your current rates. You don't want that Beca... they can draw it out for years by forcing you to promote and tour extensively. You need to give them something."

Beca crossed her arms over her chest, growing unhappier by the minute. "Teddy, this is what I hired you for. How about this... renegotiate the current rates to the higher ones and I'll sign on for two more albums, but only on the condition that I get full control. I want to produce both alone. I think I've proven myself at this point. I also want full control over any public appearances, and those will now be handled in-house by my team."

She looked over at Scotty again, who nodded in support.

"Good. I also want the freedom to work as a producer without restrictions, provided it doesn't interfere with any major BMR release dates and the production of my own albums," Beca continued, running her fingers through her hair. "Damnit, I don't want to fucking tour again..." she trailed off, her voice low.

Scotty stepped in, saying, "Beca, if you keep recording albums, you'll have to tour. No way around it."

Beca sighed, "I know. It's frustrating. Teddy, you better negotiate me one hell of a deal if I'm committing to more time away from my home and my family."

Teddy gave her a sharp nod, respecting the seriousness of her tone. "Becs, you know I'll do everything I can. They're not stupid over there, though. They've got an artist on the verge of superstar-dome who doesn't want to record any more hits. They're going to fight to keep you churning out hits and selling out stadiums."

Beca rolled her eyes, looking down at her hands. "They should also want to keep me happy. Remind them that just because they've got me on contract for albums, doesn't mean I have to record them anytime soon. They can't hold me over the coals with some stupid advance anymore."

"Becs, we don't want this to turn ugly. You've got a great relationship with your label right now," Scotty reminded her gently. "Let's do our best to work with them and maybe everyone will go home happy once this deal is done. Wait and see what they come back with after Mr. Rook meets with them again."

Beca leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. "Right, okay... fine. Teddy, I've worked hard for this contract. I'd like that to be reflected in the boost in royalties. If I'm going to be forced into recording and touring, I want to get fucking paid."

Irritated, she pulled out her phone and checked the time. "Are we done?" she asked bluntly, ready to forget about this stuff for a while and spend some much needed time relaxing with Chloe.

Both men exchanged glances, not wanting to test her mood.

Teddy stood up, smoothing out his suit. "Yes, we're done. For now," he warned, as she circled the table. "I'll be in touch after I speak with the label."

Beca sighed, knowing she was probably overreacting. "Sorry, it's just frustrating to feel like I don't have control over my life. I'm dollar signs to them, nothing more."

Scotty moved to her side, "It's okay, Becs. You're under a lot of stress and pressure and you've made it clear your goal is to become a producer. Mr. Rook and I will do everything we can to help you get there."

Teddy nodded his approval. "Right. Scotty and I are on your side. I'll call you with a few names to interview for the publicist role, and let you know what BMR says."

"Okay, good," Beca finished, giving him a smile and a fist bump. "Thanks, Teddy. I appreciate it."

"You got it. Have fun in LA," he said, gathering his files before giving Scotty a firm handshake and exiting the room.

Beca sat down in the nearest chair, slumping forward with her head in her hands. "I'm going to tour for the rest of my life. I can feel it."

Scotty chuckled at her dramatics, retorting, "You act like it's so terrible. You had a great time on tour."

"I've almost survived the tour," Beca corrected, looking up at him. "I miss having a semi-normal life. I miss being in one place with Zeus. Most of all, I want to get to see my girlfriend more than twice a year."

"Speaking of Chloe, so far so good with the statement I put out," Scotty reported, now scrolling through emails on his phone. "The story seems to have died down, in part thanks to your interview." He paused, before continuing, "I asked Isaac to pick me up so we can head to LA and prep for this weekend. He'll come back if Chloe or your parents can't drive you. Sound good?"

Beca nodded. "Sure thing. I need a couple days away from all this craziness. See you this weekend."

She pulled her phone back out as he left the room, calling Chloe and putting the phone to her ear. Just the sound of Chloe's voice had her instantly more relaxed than ten seconds ago.

_"Hey, baby."_

"Hey. We just finished up here. Want to grab lunch before we head back?"

After a quick conversation, Beca opened the text with the location of the coffee shop and made her way out of the office onto the street. It was only a short walk, and she was surprised to see Chloe and Sheila laughing about something when she turned the corner, both stopping with guilty looks when she got closer.

"I don't want to know," she said out loud, giving Sheila a hug before wrapping an arm around Chloe's waist and leaning up to kiss her. "Hey, babe."

She was pleased to see Chloe's cheeks a bit flushed when she pulled back, the stress and frustration of the meeting already long gone. Beca trailed her hand down Chloe's back as she looked at Sheila.

"Ready?"

At her stepmother's nod, she laced her fingers with Chloe's and lead the way down the street.

* * *

Beca followed Chloe inside her apartment, shuffling over to the couch and collapsing onto the soft cushions. Sheila had insisted on making the most of Chloe's day off from school, taking them on a mini shopping spree all afternoon. Although she'd started wearing nicer clothes, Beca's hatred of shopping hadn't changed one bit. She figured she would always prefer her comfortable converse sneakers and jeans over dresses and heels, and had no issues with that. Beca didn't mind getting dressed up every once in a while, the gorgeous dresses and team she'd labeled her "glam squad" became a kind of guilty pleasure, but only because it didn't happen very often. She'd never tell anyone that, though, and a big part of why she put up with it was because she didn't have to go shopping. They brought everything to her, and she didn't have to spend hours walking from store to store trying things on.

She was happy that Chloe and Sheila had gotten along famously all day, but she was nervous when Sheila's initial reaction to finding out they were back together was less than enthusiastic. Beca needn't have worried, though, because the two chatted like old friends as they searched through racks for that one magical find. Her heart swelled with happiness at how Chloe fit right in with her and Sheila like she'd always been there. It gave her a glimpse into the future. A future that saw the two of them together and happy spending time with each other's families, all the awkwardness of their rocky start those years ago gone.

"Want to order in tonight?"

Chloe's voice broke her concentration, looking up to see the redhead peeking over the back of the couch.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Beca agreed, stretching her arms over her head. "I don't want to go anywhere after you two dragged me all over the fucking city today."

Chloe disappeared, moving into the kitchen as she replied, "Oh, quit whining. You had fun."

"Uh huh," Beca scoffed, sitting up and looking over at her girlfriend. "Yes, I just love shopping so much. I wish I could shop all the time and never do anything else."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, an amused smile on her face. "You didn't seem to mind those dresses I tried on."

Beca's lips curled into a grin. "Yeah, well... that was different. I also think you should have let me help."

"I did let you help," Chloe pointed out. "Once. And then ten minutes later, after I hadn't tried anything on, we were politely asked to leave the store."

"Right, well," Beca shrugged, not minding getting caught making out in the changing room. "She's clearly never seen you half naked, or she would have understood."

Chloe rolled her eyes, looking back down into the menu drawer. "What do you want to eat?"

"You," Beca shot back, smirking proudly.

"Later," Chloe winked, making Beca's stomach twist in anticipation. "Thai or pizza?"

Beca hummed thoughtfully. "Pizza. My wallet's over there," she gestured in the direction of where she dropped her purse upon entering the apartment.

A few minutes later Chloe joined her on the couch, draping her legs across Beca's lap. She grinned as Chloe scooted closer, letting her hand trail up the outside of her thigh to her hip. Chloe leaned in and kissed her, before curling against her shoulder.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Beca leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes. "Sure, babe. What's up?"

"You want to move in here, right? You don't think we're moving too fast?" Chloe asked, and Beca could hear the hesitation in her voice.

She thought for a moment, wondering if this was Chloe's way of letting her know things were moving too fast. Either that, or she was giving her an out if she wasn't ready. Beca felt Chloe's arm slip across her stomach, giving her the confidence she knew which one it was.

"Chlo, if you don't want me to move in you can just say so," she teased, looking down in time to see Chloe's head snap up, eyes wide. "Kidding," she said quickly, laughing at the way her girlfriend's eyes narrowed. "Honestly, I'm so excited to move in with you. I wanted this a year and a half ago, remember? We took the long way, but I'm just happy we finally made it back to this place."

Chloe smiled, laying her head back down on Beca's shoulder. "I didn't want you to think we were rushing things."

"I'll still have my place in Nashville I can escape to if you drive me crazy," Beca commented, earning herself a smack to the leg. "I would have moved back here anyways, even if we weren't together. I miss my family."

"They miss you, too," Chloe replied quietly. "I missed you."

Beca sighed, letting her fingers trail over Chloe's thigh. "I missed you." She hesitated a minute before continuing, "We didn't make a lot of progress today on my new contract. The label wants me to continue as an artist instead of transitioning into producing."

Chloe's tone turned disappointed. "Becs, I thought you were done recording albums? If you stay on as an artist, won't you have to keep touring?"

Beca tensed, sensing Chloe's frustration. "Yes, I would. BMR is not happy at the thought of losing me as an artist which, I guess, I understand."

"You make them a lot of money," Chloe supplied, leaning back to look at her.

Beca nodded, locking her fingers together in Chloe's lap. "Teddy seems confident we can come to an agreement. He knows where my priorities are. I don't want to keep missing things because I have no control over my career."

Chloe reached out and took one of her hands, giving it a squeeze. "Hey, you'll have Christmas and New Year's off. We will have plenty of time together after the tour ends."

Beca frowned, glancing over at Chloe. "About New Year's, babe..."

"No, Beca. You promised! Christmas here with your family and New Year's in Nashville with mine," Chloe went from encouraging to angry in five seconds. She swung her legs off Beca's lap despite her protests, standing up and putting some distance between them.

"What if Teddy doesn't get you a better contract? What if this keeps happening, Beca? What if you keep getting dragged away for every fucking show they want you to do?" Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, leveling her glare at Beca.

Beca sat forward, letting her get it out without being interrupted.

"Are you going to say anything? Or just give in to everything they want at my expense?" Chloe snapped.

Beca stood up, but Chloe backed away when she took a step towards her. "Okay, so the label booked me to perform in New York City for Rockin' New Year's Eve," she explained, barely getting it out before Chloe rolled her eyes and spun away.

"Great, Becs. I'm super happy for you," she said sarcastically. "Convenient how you don't have to skip Christmas with your family, only the holidays we're supposed to spend with mine."

Beca smiled, forcing herself to stay patient. "I was hoping you would come with us."

Chloe froze, turning back to face her. "What?"

Beca shrugged. "I mean, how am I supposed to bring in the New Year without the best person in my life? I want you there with me, Chlo."

"And what about my family, Beca? My parents were really excited we were going to celebrate with them."

"Oh, they already agreed to go. CJ, Nora, and Eddie too," Beca said casually. "Your other brothers haven't gotten back to me yet." She chuckled as Chloe remained speechless, rooted to the floor.

Beca walked over to her, gently taking her hands. "I know how much this means to you, and I figured that since I can't get out of performing, maybe there was another solution. So what do you think, Beale? Ring in the new year with me in NYC at the biggest party of them all?"

Chloe had tears in her eyes as she asked, "You're bringing my whole family to New York?"

Beca nodded, shooting her a grin. "I'd do just about anything for you, you know. Also, they give me a bunch of free passes since I'm kind of a big deal now..." she trailed off with a wink. "So, will you come with me?"

Chloe didn't answer, instead leaning in for a long kiss, her arms sliding around Beca and pulling her close. "Yes," she murmured, pulling back a fraction. "Always, yes."

"I'll remember that," Beca whispered, kissing her again.

A knock interrupting them, Beca pulled back to shoot an irritated look at the offending door. Chloe sighed and went to answer it, thanking the delivery guy before spinning around to place the pizza on the table. She looked at Beca, asking sarcastically, "Any other important events coming up I should be aware of?"

Beca thought for a moment, before casually replying, "I don't think so. I mean, except for the Grammy's, but other than that I can't think of anything."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they were comfortably seated back on the couch with the pizza box open before them on the coffee table. Beca wasn't surprised at the way Chloe had freaked out, knowing the redhead hadn't heard of her Grammy nominations yet. She'd scarcely believed it herself when news came in that she'd been nominated in five categories, along with an invitation to perform. Her first album hadn't been released in time to qualify last year, not that she'd expected to be nominated at all anyways, and Beca was still overcoming her own surprise and disbelief at the news.

Beca tentatively glanced over at her girlfriend, who had been silently staring at her for the past five minutes. "So, are you just gonna creepily stare at me all night, or..." she trailed off, fighting the urge to grin.

Chloe shook her head, turning and grabbing a piece of pizza. "I can't believe it," she said, giving Beca a wide smile. "Five nominations... that's amazing, Becs!"

"Okay, don't freak out again," Beca said quickly, holding her slice of pizza little tighter. "We can totally be normal about this."

"Are you serious?! Beca, you got nominated for five Grammy's. FIVE! That's like... Adele or Taylor Swift or Beyonce..." Chloe responded excitedly. "How are you being so normal about it?"

Beca shrugged, taking a bite of pizza. "It's not like I've won them yet," she reasoned. "I mean, yeah, being nominated is a huge honor, but I might not win anything."

Chloe studied her for a moment. "So you're totes freaking out on the inside."

"Yeah, completely," Beca confirmed, breaking into a smile. "I mean, I hoped for this, but I don't know if I ever thought it would happen."

Chloe let out a happy squeal. "Tell me the categories again!"

Beca rolled her eyes, even though she'd already memorized them. "Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Remixed Recording," she listed off, smiling at her girlfriend's look of amazement.

Chloe's eyes widened, and Beca fought back a moment of panic at the look.

"Beca! I have nothing to wear!" Chloe exclaimed, looking towards her room as if she could see every item currently hanging in her closet.

Beca rolled her eyes again, because of course, that's what Chloe would be worried about. "I think we can solve that problem," she said, taking a bite of pizza. "I mean, I have people for that kinda stuff."

Chloe stared at her, and Beca realized how spoiled that sounded. "I mean, Scotty arranges everything for these events," she quickly corrected, looking anywhere but at her girlfriend. "He'll take care of it."

"And where's the fun in that?" Chloe asked, studying her reaction. "You mean you didn't pick out any of the fancy dresses you've worn?"

Beca scoffed, "Fuck no, that sounds like a nightmare. I just tell Scotty where I want to get ready and the glam squad shows up with everything I need."

Chloe burst out laughing at her admission. "Glam squad?" she managed to ask, leaning back into the couch. Taking a deep breath, she looked back over at Beca. "You aren't kidding about all this are you..."

Beca tossed her slice of pizza back into the box and waited patiently while Chloe digested these new facts about her life. She knew it was a lot to take in and was happily surprised at how well Chloe had taken everything in stride so far.

"I keep trying to tell you that things are different now," Beca said quietly, the moment turning oddly serious. "The tour was just a taste of what my life is like. I have interviews and shows and I'm working on another album... and Scotty keeps going on about commercials, but I've put him off for now."

She glanced over at Chloe, feeling a little nervous, but was relieved to see an easy smile on her girlfriend's face.

"Becs, I know all of that. It's totes weird to think of you as some super famous person, but it's not going to scare me away," Chloe replied, reaching out for her hand. "What commercials?"

Beca scoffed, "Like Covergirl, I think?"

Chloe shrugged. "I mean, you probably buy enough eyeliner to keep them in business..."

"Not the point!" Beca exclaimed, pulling her hand back and giving Chloe a shove. "I'm short and pale and awkward as fuck...no way in hell I'll subject myself to the fallout of an embarrassing Covergirl commercial."

Chloe bounced right back, moving quickly to straddle Beca's thighs on the couch. "I don't think that at all," she murmured, her lips dangerously close to Beca's. "I think you'd make a super sexy Covergirl."

Beca swallowed hard, her hands sliding easily over Chloe's hips. "You're wrong."

"I don't think so..." Chloe trailed off, her lips finding Beca's.

It was hard to think when Chloe kissed her like that, slow and sensual with her body pressing against Beca's. She let her hands slip under Chloe's shirt, allowing her girlfriend to twist them to the side and laid back on the couch. Beca wondered how she'd gone four months without this, her blood running hotter through her veins with every touch and press, Chloe hitting all her sensitive spots. She gasped as teeth scraped over her pulse point, tugging impatiently at Chloe's shirt. They'd never gotten to finish what she'd started in the changing room earlier that afternoon; Beca's arousal was back in full force.

Chloe leaned back, pushing her hands away for a second.

"Are you seriously taking me to the Grammy's?"

Beca looked up at her curiously, finally answering, "Yeah, I am. Are you okay with that?"

Chloe nodded, and Beca gripped her thighs as she sat up, kissing her again. "Good."

* * *

"Chloe..." Beca whined, rolling over in bed and pressing her face into a pillow.

"God, you're so dramatic," Chloe laughed, shaking her head and swatting her with a different pillow. "Get up. It'll be fun."

Beca peeked over at the redhead, eyebrow raised in disbelief. "No, it won't be fun. Come on, Chlo, it's my last night in San Diego before the craziness of the tour swallows me up for another two weeks. I just want to stay here and have a quiet night in with my super hot girlfriend."

Chloe crossed her arms, arguing pointedly, "We've been doing that all day."

"I don't see what the problem is," Beca retorted, flopping over onto her back. "You didn't seem to mind. Besides, you won't even tell me where we're going."

Chloe grinned, replying, "That's the definition of a surprise, Becs. You'll just have to wait and see."

Beca shook her head no. "I don't want to wait and see. I want to be lazy and order in, and maybe convince you to take a shower with me."

Chloe shrugged, turning away towards her bathroom. "I think we can make one of those things happen..." she trailed off, turning on the water.

Beca jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom just as Chloe was getting into the shower. She watched for a moment as Chloe stuck her head under the water, slicking her hair back.

"It won't be nearly as fun if you just stare at me the whole time."

Beca chuckled, taken aback at her words since Chloe hadn't bothered to look at her when speaking. She slipped in behind her, pressing a kiss to the back of Chloe's shoulder. "You're absolutely right."

God, her girlfriend was sexy. Beca slipped her hands around Chloe's waist, moving them up her stomach. Before she could reach her intended destination, Chloe grabbed her hands and spun them around so she was suddenly under the spray.

Beca blinked back the water running over her face, looking sadly up at her girlfriend. "This isn't going to be a fun shower after all, is it?"

Chloe winked at her, letting go of her hands to turn her around under the spray. Sighing, Beca wet her hair turned the water up a little hotter. If she wasn't going to get to touch Chloe she might as well get clean, especially after their not so innocent afternoon in bed.

She felt her girlfriend press against her from behind. "I know your birthday was last week, Becs."

Beca froze, wondering how Chloe knew that. "Who told you when my birthday is?" she asked, frowning at the wall in front of her.

"You did," Chloe giggled, pressing a kiss to her neck. "Two years ago, on December second, I walked past your wonderfully decorated locker and wished you a happy birthday."

Beca's eyes widened as she remembered the moment two years in the past, suddenly wondering what happened to that dancing kangaroo Fat Amy had given her. "How do you remember that?"

Chloe huffed, her hands suddenly becoming very active over Beca's hips and stomach. "It was your birthday, baby. Of course I remember it," she said, her tone implying the answer was obvious.

"But I... I don't know when your birthday is," Beca stuttered, becoming distracted at her girlfriend's touch.

"You never asked," Chloe teased, her hands finally finding Beca's breasts. "It's May sixteenth."

Beca let out a sigh, leaning back against Chloe's chest, repeating, "May sixteenth. How convenient, Beale. Right after we broke up and before we got back together. I think owe you a couple birthdays."

Chloe smiled against her neck as she let a hand slide down between Beca's legs. "We can talk about that later, baby. Today, we're celebrating your birthday."

Beca moaned as Chloe's fingers pressed gentle circles against her clit, her hips moving in search of more contact. She let her hand reach behind her to hold the back of her girlfriend's neck, fingers tangling in her wet hair.

Chloe's other hand wasn't idle, rhythmically squeezing her breast before capturing her nipple between fingertips and tugging.

"Oh, fuck," Beca hissed, as Chloe added a little more pressure with her fingers. "I need more, babe."

Chloe hummed against her ear, before quickly spinning her against the shower wall and kissing her hard. Beca squeaked at the cold tiles against her back but was quickly distracted from her discomfort by the way Chloe's tongue was moving on her own. The things she could do with her tongue often left Beca speechless, and Beca moaned at the way Chloe was kissing her, knowing the redhead wasn't holding back. She pulled Chloe tighter against her, letting her hands slide down over her ass and squeezing.

Chloe reached around for her hands, taking them and pinning them over her head, all while keeping her lips fused to Beca's. She would have been more impressed if she weren't so desperate to touch the redhead. Chloe started kissing down her neck before she could complain, and it was all Beca could do to suck in gulps of air as she tried to regain her breath.

"You literally take my breath away," she gasped, knowing it was cheesy but unable to stop herself from saying the words.

Chloe's beaming smile was worth it, as her girlfriend pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "That was adorable."

Before Beca could respond, Chloe dropped to her knees in front of her and ran both hands up the inside of her thighs to push her legs apart. Beca's head leaned back against the tile at the first touch of Chloe's tongue, knowing there was no way she was going to last more than a few minutes.

Chloe didn't tease her either, tongue attacking her clit and sliding two fingers inside her simultaneously. Beca moaned loudly and reached down to tangle her fingers back in Chloe's hair, her hips thrusting shamelessly.

Beca forced her eyes open, looking down at her girlfriend. The sight alone had her right on the edge, the way Chloe was literally worshipping her body. Chloe must've known she was close, because suddenly her fingers curled and dragged against that spot deep inside her, making her legs go weak. Beca's grip tightened in red locks as Chloe took her clit between her lips, flicking it faster with her tongue until Beca came undone against the wall, crying out Chloe's name.

Chloe's helped her ride it out, her tongue drawing lazy patterns over her clit until Beca felt the stirrings of another orgasm begin. She tugged at Chloe's arm, pulling until she stood up and pressed a long kiss to her lips.

"Fuck, I love you," Beca mumbled, kissing her again.

Chloe nodded, gently easing her fingers out and rinsing them clean. "Happy Birthday, baby."

Beca grinned dopily at her, still riding the high. "Best one yet," she replied, leaning back against the wall.

"And it's not even over," Chloe said secretively.

"After that, I don't know if I'll survive more." Beca looked suspiciously at her girlfriend.

Chloe winked at her, pulling away to grab the bottle of shampoo. "I think you'll be just fine. Now come here, we've got somewhere to be."

* * *

Beca smiled happily as they pulled into the parking lot of her favorite restaurant. Chloe must have gotten some help from Stacie or her parents for this birthday surprise.

"How'd you know about this place?" she asked curiously, stepping out of the car. "I never took you here when we were together before."

Chloe just shrugged innocently, answering, "I have my ways."

"Mm-hmm," Beca played along, reaching down to lock her fingers with Chloe's as they walked across the parking lot.

They stepped inside, the staff recognizing her instantly. Beca smiled, introducing Chloe and laughing as the two men immediately kissed her hand, welcoming her like family.

They followed them through the restaurant, Beca focusing more on the way Chloe's thumb was gently stroking her palm than where they were headed.

"Surprise, baby," Chloe whispered softly in her ear.

Beca looked up, stunned to see her parents already seated at the table. She turned back to her girlfriend, mouth open in shock. "You planned this for me?"

Chloe nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. "I know you didn't get to celebrate your birthday with anyone, and your parents didn't get to see you either. Is it… I mean, is this okay?"

Beca leaned up to press a firm kiss to her lips. "It's perfect, really. I love you," she murmured, kissing her once more.

Beca grinned as she pulled away, embracing her dad and Sheila. "I can't believe you guys were in on this. I almost refused to go, you know."

Sheila rolled her eyes. "Not surprising there, kid. You always hated celebrating your birthday."

Beca nodded as she sat down. "Well yeah, that too, but I mean all I really wanted to do tonight was stay in bed with Chlo and…"

Chloe cut her off, filling in "Watch movies from opposite ends of the couch. And nothing else. Isn't it crazy how we finish each other's sentences?"

Beca gave her a pointed look, as Sheila chuckled and reached over to rub Ben's shoulder.

"You two look happy," she said, steering the subject away from dangerous waters. "Ready for the last few stops on your tour, Becs?"

Ben leaned forward at that question, adding, "Yes, are you ready to be done for a little while?"

Beca nodded again, answering, "I can't wait. I'll be moving back here as soon as possible when the tour ends. Just have to tie up some loose ends in Nashville and get my new contract sorted out."

The conversation flowed easily through dinner, and Beca was again ridiculously happy with how easily Chloe seemed to fit into her family and life. She kept up with Sheila's wit and sense of humor and was able to connect with Ben on some of the deeper, more introspective topics he was interested in. At one point, Beca just sat amazed at her life, wondering how she could have possibly deserved to feel so loved. Her incredible girlfriend knew her better than she realized, figuring that Chloe must have known how much she missed spending time with her parents while she was in Nashville.

Beca was snapped out of her musings when Sheila asked, "When are you stealing my grand-doggy away?"

Beca's eyebrows rose at that nickname. "Tomorrow morning. Isaac is bringing me by first thing to pick him up on our way to LA."

She laughed at the opposite reactions to the news. Sheila looked borderline devastated, while the relief was clear on her dad's face. "Don't worry, Stepmonster, soon he'll be living here permanently and you can babysit anytime."

Ben coughed at her words. "Right, wonderful. Anyways, Becs, we got you a little something," he said, handing over an envelope.

Beca took it, turning it over in her hands. "Hmm, the last time you got me an envelope for my birthday it was the best present I'd ever gotten. Big expectations."

Sheila shook her head, saying, "Just open it, kid. Before I change my mind and take it back."

Beca clutched it to her chest. "It must be good then," she said excitedly, slipping her finger under the seal and ripping it open. She looked down at the card, before flipping it around to show Chloe.

"Just a picture of a cake with an "F" candle on it," she said, looking curiously at her parents.

Ben sighed. "It was Sheila's idea. Just open it."

Beca grinned at her stepmom, opening the card and laughing at the words. "Happy Fucking Birthday," she read out loud, chuckling again under her breath. "You know me so well, Stepmonster."

Sheila grinned back at her, saying, "I think everyone at this table would be stunned at the number of F-bombs you've dropped in your short life."

"Without question," Beca affirmed, pulling the folded pieces of paper out of the card and opening them next. Her jaw dropped for the second time that night as she read them quickly, before looking up at her parents. "Seriously?"

Ben nodded. "You've been working too much over the past year and a half. It's time you took a much-needed vacation."

Beca looked back down at the papers, her smile growing wider by the second. "And it's only good through the end of next year?"

"Correct. So don't let it expire," Sheila answered, reaching over to take Ben's hand.

Beca glanced at Chloe. "Wanna go on vacation with me this summer?"

Chloe smiled back at her. "Sure. Where are we going?"

Beca turned thoughtful for a moment, placing the papers back inside the card and returning everything to the envelope. "It's a surprise," she said cheekily, loving the way Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Payback, babe."

Chloe shook her head, giving in as she agreed, "Fine, okay. Surprise vacation with you? I'm in."

"Great," Beca said happily, leaning back in her chair. "I don't think this birthday could get any better."

The words had just left her mouth when a group of waiters circled their table singing her 'Happy Birthday' loudly in Spanish. Beca knew her face was burning bright red by the time they finished and set the free dessert in front of her.

Once they left, she glared at all of them. "I lied. You're all the worst and I'm not sharing any of my birthday churros with any of you."

Chloe, Sheila, and Ben burst out laughing, standing and dragging her into a birthday hug. Beca squirmed in the middle of the pile, relieved when they finally let go and sat back down.

"We love you, Becs," Ben said, looking fondly at his daughter. "And we're all so proud of what you've accomplished. Happy Birthday."

Chloe and Sheila echoed his sentiments, wishing her a happy birthday.

Beca sighed as the feeling of love and warmth flowed over her again, pushing the plate to the center of the table to share. "I guess you guys aren't so bad after all."

* * *

Beca waited patiently for Chloe to open the door to her apartment, following her girlfriend inside. She was overwhelmed that Chloe would go to the trouble of throwing her a surprise birthday party a week late because they didn't get a chance to celebrate on the actual day, and the fact she included her parents was icing on the proverbial cake. Chloe knew how much that small gesture would mean to her, and Beca felt the need to tell her in the way that would mean the most to the redhead.

"Babe," Beca started, moving closer and slipping her arms around Chloe in a hug. "Thank you," she whispered, relishing the way Chloe held her tightly.

Chloe smiled against her neck, saying, "I'm glad you liked it. I knew you wouldn't want something over the top, but I thought that would be okay."

Beca pulled back, placing a kiss on her lips. "I loved it. It was sweet, and thoughtful, and perfect. I can't believe I almost ruined it."

Chloe laughed, nodding at her words. "I wondered how stubborn you were going to be, but I had confidence I could get you to the restaurant. I know how much you like tacos."

"Touche," Beca grinned, before it slipped off her face at the realization it was their last night together before the tour picked up again for it's final stops.

"Hey, it's okay," Chloe soothed, pulling her back into a hug. "The tour is almost over, and you'll be back here before you know it."

Beca sighed, burying her nose into the crook of Chloe's neck. "I feel like I just got you back. How am I supposed to turn around and leave again?"

"By knowing you'll come back to me," Chloe said simply. "And that I'll be waiting for you."

"You sure?" Beca mumbled, breathing in Chloe's sweet vanilla scent.

Chloe nodded, humming affirmatively. "I'll be right here when you get home for Christmas, Becs. I promise you."

Beca smiled at that, feeling confident that Chloe would keep her promises, and suddenly feeling overwhelmed to reciprocate.

"I can't wait to start our lives together, Chlo. We've waited a long time, but it'll be worth it," Beca said softly.

"I know, baby," Chloe replied, her hands running idly up and down Beca's back. "Now, you promise me that you'll stay away from all those slutty groupies, and that you'll be here for Christmas."

Beca leaned back, smirking up at her girlfriend. "Slutty groupies?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

Chloe nodded, looking serious.

"Okay," Beca said with a laugh. "I will stay away from all the slutty groupies, and I wouldn't miss Christmas with you for anything."

"Promise!" Chloe demanded, her eyes determined, but also twinkling happily.

Beca leaned in kissing her firmly, before whispering, "I promise you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> big thanks to Arsto for helping with this fic and proofing this chapter!
> 
> I had some family stuff pop up over the past month that just had me in a funk, but I'm moving past it and getting back into my writing groove. I appreciate your support and patience while I work through it.
> 
> On another note, you guys were super awesome with all the comments after the last chapter! I hope I didn't lose readers with the long break, and am definitely committed to finishing this fic out in style! Don't worry, the end isn't near yet :-).
> 
> Thank you again! Please continue to R&R, it means everything to this wannabe author ;-).


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are really no excuses for how long it's taken me to write this chapter. I was extremely fortunate to accept a new job at an amazing company that was a massive promotion, and it's taken up an absurd amount of my time ever since. Thankfully, I'm settling in now and regaining some semblance of work-life balance...whatever that actually looks like. Thanks for your patience!

* * *

Beca adjusted her snapback low over her eyes and made sure her headphones were snugly covering her ears as the plane pulled up to the gate. She was finally home to stay, at least for a while, and she couldn't shove down the excitement bubbling up inside at the knowledge that Chloe was waiting for her. Thankfully the flight had been uneventful, with no one recognizing her or bothering her, and she had slept most of the way. The flight attendant was announcing something over the loudspeaker, but it was drowned out as the captain turned off the seatbelt sign and passengers flooded the aisle to retrieve bags from the overhead compartments.

Beca waited patiently in her seat, shifting slightly to pull her phone out of her pocket and turn it off airplane mode. She only had a small backpack for this trip, traveling light whenever possible. She'd left most of her belongings at Chloe's a few weeks ago, and the rest would return to Nashville with Isaac and her tour bus. Zeus had ultimately remained with her parents for the last leg of the tour, and Beca had missed him as much as Chloe, maybe even more since she'd never been without him for more than a couple of days since his adoption. Their first stop was to go pick him up and bring him home. She'd decided that it'd be better for him to stay in one place than be bused around for another week and a half, and Sheila emphatically agreed he should remain in San Diego.

'Home,' Beca thought happily, a smile crossing her lips. Home was with Chloe now, as she had officially started moving in. She knew the process would probably take at least a month and that soon they would begin looking for a new place together, but it didn't really matter. She knew that she would be happy as long as they were together and Beca was ecstatic to start this new chapter with the redhead.

Finally, the door opened and people began exiting the aircraft. Beca rose from her comfortable seat in first class and made her way forward, nodding and mumbling a quiet "thank you" to the flight attendant at the front of the plane. She kept her eyes down as she walked the short distance into the airport, moving through the familiar terminal and following the signs to the baggage claim where Chloe was waiting for her.

She looked up after turning the last corner, only glancing around for a moment before finding the one she was looking for. Chloe looked stunning, as always, her smile a bright beam of sunlight when she spotted Beca. She slid her headphones down around her neck and forced herself to keep her pace steady, if not a hair faster, but didn't want to create a huge scene. Thankfully, other people were meeting up with loved ones around them and it wasn't out of the ordinary when Chloe flung herself into Beca's arms, kissing her soundly.

Beca kissed her back, before burying her nose into the crook of Chloe's neck. "I missed you," she murmured, hugging her tightly.

"Missed you too, baby," Chloe replied, before leaning back to look at her. "You need to wear more hats," she added, biting her bottom lip.

Beca felt her arousal spike at the low tone and the look in Chloe's eyes. "Stop it," she chastised, hitching her backpack higher up on her shoulder. "You can't use your sex voice in the middle of the airport. That's cheating."

Chloe winked at her, before relenting, "Fine. Let's go get your dog before people recognize you."

Beca perked up instantly at the mention of Zeus, grinning and taking Chloe's hand as they exited the baggage claim. "Good idea."

About a half hour later they pulled up to Beca's house, the brunette having texted en route to let her parents know they were on the way. Beca slid out of the passenger seat, stretching and letting out a yawn. It hadn't been a long trip, but the wear and tear of the tour over the past two weeks had taken its toll and she was ready for a few days of uninterrupted sleep. Before they could take more than a few steps toward the house, the front door opened and Zeus came barreling out at full speed, whining pathetically.

"Hey, Zeus!" Beca said happily, laughing as he jumped on her, doing his best to lick her face. "I missed you too, bud." She finally caught his paws and wrapped him in a hug, pressing kisses all over the top of his head.

"You're such a softie, Mitchell," Chloe chuckled, watching the scene with an amused expression on her face. "But you guys are pretty adorable."

Beca rolled her eyes, kneeling down on the driveway to give Zeus a proper hug. "Don't listen to her, Zeus. She doesn't understand us anyways," she said, before letting out a small "oof" as Zeus buried his head into her stomach trying to get closer. "I think he missed me," she quipped, looking up at Chloe.

"Ya think?" Chloe retorted sarcastically, pulling her phone out to snap a few pictures of them.

"I do think," Beca replied seriously, pulling the dogs face up to look into his eyes. "Don't worry, bud. I'm here now."

As if on cue, Zeus pulled away and sprinted back to Sheila, leaving Beca with her mouth hanging open.

"Stepmonster, what'd you do to my dog?!" she shouted, getting back to her feet and looking at the porch where Zeus happily sat at the blonde's feet.

"We bonded," Sheila said proudly, rubbing the dog's ears. "Hello to you too, by the way. Hi, Chloe."

"Hey Sheila," Chloe answered brightly, leaving Beca behind as she moved toward the porch. "How are you?"

Sheila returned the smile answering, "Great. Ready for some time off when my parents get here. Devastated that Beca is stealing my grand-doggy away."

Beca snorted at that statement as she followed Chloe up the steps to give Sheila a hug. "Hello," she said defiantly. "And yes, I'm most certainly taking him back. He's mine forever. Come on, Zeus. Let's go find Father Mitchell," she said, stepping through the doorway, leaving Chloe and Sheila chatting on the porch.

"He's in the kitchen!" Sheila called after her, and Beca raised a hand in acknowledgment, satisfied that Zeus had immediately followed at her heels when she entered the house.

"Yeah right, as if you'd stay with her over me," she muttered to the dog, patting the top of his head as they walked down the hallway.

She entered the kitchen to find her dad sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee while reading the paper.

"Hey, Dad. I'm back!" she said, infusing her voice with more excitement than necessary.

Ben looked up and broke into a wide smile. Tossing the paper on the table and rising to hug her. "Becs! I know it hasn't been that long, but I missed you."

Beca returned the hug, pulling back with a smirk. "You missed me, or you're just happy I'm here to take Zeus away?"

"Can't it be both?" he asked sheepishly, stepping back and rubbing the back of his head.

Beca laughed, answering, "Yeah, it can be both. What do you and Sheila want for Christmas? I haven't had time to go shopping yet."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Becs, you don't have to buy us anything. We're just glad that you're happy and healthy. That's the best present you can give me."

"Fine, I'll come up with them on my own. You had your chance," she warned, pointing a finger at him.

He nodded as Chloe and Sheila joined them in the kitchen. "Yes, I did. I won't lose any sleep over whatever ridiculous gift you buy me as a result."

"I care," Sheila cut in, moving to slip her arm around Ben's waist. "And I have impossibly high standards."

Beca rolled her eyes, smiling as Chloe moved beside her and laced their fingers together. "Of course you do, Stepmonster. Don't worry, I've already got an idea for you."

"I don't know whether to be flattered or terrified," Sheila teased.

Beca laughed. "Terrified, of course. Anyways, I'm pretty exhausted. We can continue this party in a couple days when I feel human again. I'll just grab Zeus' stuff and we'll head out."

Ben nodded, pointing towards a small bag sitting on top of a large bin with a small amount of kibble covering the bottom. "We packed everything up for you. He's almost out of food though, Bec."

"Okay, I'll pick some up tomorrow," Beca replied, bringing her arm up to cover the yawn that followed. "Thanks again for watching him. He was probably much happier here than on the bus."

Sheila stepped forward and gave her a hug. "He's welcome anytime. You, on the other hand, call first."

Beca chuckled, hugging the blonde back. "Put some of that love away before we all suffocate from it."

Beca hugged her dad, before grabbing Zeus' leash and clipping it to his collar, waiting patiently while Chloe said goodbye to her parents. When her girlfriend turned toward her, she gestured to the bin.

"I'll grab this and the pup if you can take his food," she suggested, already leaning down to grab the straps of the bag that held water and food bowls, along with some toys.

Chloe nodded in agreement and picked up the nearly empty bin, following Beca out to her car. They deposited the items in the trunk and helped Zeus into the back seat, before waving goodbye and backing out of the driveway.

Beca leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes for a moment while Chloe drove to her apartment. 'Their apartment,' her mind corrected, and a goofy smile crossed her face.

"Good thoughts?" Chloe's voice broke through the silence.

Beca cracked an eye open, asking, "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're grinning like an idiot and I know you're not asleep yet."

"Fair enough," Beca reached over and took Chloe's hand. "I was just thinking how it's our apartment now. I know I'm not officially back yet, but this is the start...you know?"

Chloe beamed a smile her way and Beca felt the warmth of it travel through her whole body. God, she loved it when Chloe looked at her that way, and soon she would get to see it, hopefully, every day. "Yeah, it is the start. I can't wait until you're back here permanently."

Beca nodded, bringing Chloe's hand to her lips and kissing the back of it. "Me either, Chlo. Me either."

They made the rest of the drive in silence, occasionally laughing at Zeus when he stuck his head out of the window and his ears flopped all around his head. The exhaustion really hit her as they carried everything inside, Zeus immediately beginning his inspection of his new surroundings. Beca dropped her backpack in a corner of Chloe's bedroom, mentally reminding herself again that it was their room now. It was strange, seeing as Beca had never really thought she would get to this point in a relationship, but she found that every step forward with Chloe was exciting instead of terrifying.

Beca sank down onto the bed, flopping back onto a pillow as she realized she wanted to do this with Chloe, more than she ever thought was possible. The redhead was perfect for her, their personalities complemented each other's so well. She never thought she would want to settle down, or have a family, but her mind was already spinning with thoughts of their future together.

"Slow your roll, Mitchell," she mumbled, kicking her shoes off. "One day at a time."

Chloe appeared in the doorway, turning to the side to let Zeus squeeze past and hop on the bed beside her. "Talking to yourself again?"

Beca shrugged, "Maybe. It helps when I think out loud."

"Makes sense. You talk in your sleep too," Chloe commented, now leaning comfortably in the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest.

Beca's jaw dropped. "I do not!"

Chloe raised her eyebrows before shrugging herself. "Okay...whatever you say, baby. I've got some tests I need to finish grading. I'm assuming you're about a minute from passing out while I speak."

"No idea what you're talki...ng about," Beca finished after a massive yawn. "Okay, maybe a slight idea," she added sheepishly. "I love you."

Chloe smiled, crossing the room and pressing a slow kiss to her lips. "I love you. Go to sleep, baby. Tomorrow's the last day of classes and then I'm all yours."

Beca smirked, slipping a hand behind Chloe's neck and pulling her into another kiss. "I like the sound of that. Mainly the sleep part, but also the..."

Chloe smacked the outside of her thigh before cutting her off with a kiss. "You're so lucky I love you," she said, pulling away after one last kiss.

Beca nodded in agreement. "I know. I'm the luckiest," she said, yawning again as Zeus shifted to snuggle up beside her. "Just move him when you come to bed," she said, rolling over and draping an arm over the dog, the exhaustion of the past two weeks finally succeeding as sleep overtook her.

Beca woke to the feeling of lips on her shoulder and a hand moving gently across her stomach.

* * *

"Merry Christmas, Bec," Chloe whispered, moving up to kiss her lips.

Beca smiled sleepily at her girlfriend, kissing her back. "Merry Christmas, Chlo. You know...this is the first Christmas I haven't woken up at my house. I even made it back last year."

Chloe shifted closer, propping herself up on an elbow. "Feeling sad?" she asked, letting her fingertips trail along the brunette's arm.

"No, it's just a little weird," Beca admitted. "But I'm happy I'm here with you. There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

"Mmm, I think you just want your present," Chloe teased, her fingers dipping dangerously low under the sheet.

It had been four days since the tour ended and Beca had returned to San Diego. Any awkwardness was long gone, and the couple had been making up for lost time whenever Chloe wasn't in school. Beca hadn't forgotten how attractive Chloe was, but she had forgotten what it was like to go to bed with her at night and wake up next to her in the morning. Any lingering doubts about her choice to give up recording her own music and touring the country vanished the first morning she opened her eyes to see a redheaded angel lightly breathing beside her, still fast asleep.

Beca slid a hand behind Chloe's neck and pulled her in for a kiss, shifting a little to press against her fingers. "I definitely want my present," she murmured, kissing her again.

Chloe pulled away with a sly grin, bouncing out of bed before Beca could pull her back and pin her down. "Better get up then. Your family's expecting us!"

"Chlo," Beca whined, flopping back on the bed, frustrated. "That was just mean." She could hear Chloe in the bathroom brushing her teeth, and leaned over to check the clock. "Oh, fuck!"

Sheila was standing on the porch as they pulled up to the large house, arms crossed over her chest and exasperated look already in place. Beca couldn't help but grin at the sight, her face sobering a bit at the look Chloe gave her in return.

"What?" Beca asked, defensively, looking back at her stepmother. "She's usually super chill. This is a rare treat."

Chloe's eyes narrowed as she replied, "Can she maybe not look like this when we're late for our first Christmas with your family as a couple?"

Beca leaned closer to rub her girlfriend's thigh. "Chlo, they already love you. What are you so nervous about?"

"I've never met your grandparents before," Chloe pointed out. "And there might be some lingering feelings about how I...you know..."

"Broke my heart like a stone cold killer," Beca supplied, her signature smirk in place. "Come on babe, what's that saying? Water under the bridge..." she trailed off, opening the door and letting Zeus hop out of the backseat. "We'll let Zeus soften up the evil Stepmonster. She'll be a puddle by the time we get to the porch."

For a moment, she thought her plan had worked as Sheila was happily cooing at Zeus when they reached the steps carrying bags of presents.

"Merry Christmas, Stepmonster," Beca greeted, before freezing on the second step at the look the blonde shot them.

"You're over an hour late," Sheila said, letting Zeus into the house before facing them again, arms crossed once more.

Chloe nudged her side, and Beca sighed. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that. We...I, I mean I, slept in," she corrected at another elbow from Chloe. "It's my fault."

Sheila rolled her eyes, smiling at Chloe as she retorted, "I know. Merry Christmas, Chloe," she continued, stepping forward to hug the redhead.

"Merry Christmas, Sheila," Chloe replied, returning the hug. "Sorry we're so late."

Sheila waved her apology away, instead turning to lead them inside. "No need, I already know who the culprit was. If you'd like, I can give you some tips on how to wake her up."

Beca followed the pair inside, her mind going back to earlier that morning as she mumbled, "She's got plenty of evil tricks without you helping her."

Chloe turned to shoot her a quick wink, before they entered the kitchen to find Ben sitting at the kitchen table with Sheila's parents.

"Look who finally made it," Ben said with a smile, rising immediately and wrapping Beca in a hug. "Merry Christmas, Becs." He moved on to Chloe, giving her a hug as well, before stepping back and moving to Sheila's side.

Beca wished her dad a Merry Christmas, before being enveloped in a giant hug by both of her grandparents. As she pulled back, Joe asked, "Are you going to introduce us?"

Beca nodded, replying, "Yeah, Gramps, of course I am. Chloe, this old geezer is Joe, and the amazing woman that has somehow put up with him this whole time is Nancy. Gparents, this is Chloe Beale, my girlfriend."

Joe huffed at her words, while Nancy nodded agreeably and stepped forward to give Chloe a hug. "That about sums it up," she said, her tone light and filled with humor. "It's wonderful to finally meet you."

Chloe laughed as she returned the hug. "It's nice to meet you, too. Beca told me all about both of you, but it's nice to put faces to names."

"Hopefully she included a few positive things in those descriptions," Joe added, giving Chloe a hug as well.

Beca smirked, quipping, "Of course I did. I mean, you guys put up with the stepmonster for her whole life, so you must have a never-ending supply of patience and tolerance...not to mention iron stomachs."

Sheila's eyes widened at her words, her tone mock offended as she pointed a finger at Beca and retorted, "Hey! I'll have you know my cooking is getting better."

"Is that true?" Beca turned to Ben for confirmation.

To his credit, he answered smoothly without hesitating. "It is. Sheila's mastered several dishes, and cooks dinner twice a week when she's not traveling," he said proudly, giving the blonde a kiss on the cheek.

"Congratulations, honey!" Nancy exclaimed, clapping her hands together, despite the doubtful look on Joe's face.

Beca snickered at Sheila's exaggerated eye roll. "Mom, it's not a big deal. No need to cheer like I won MasterChef."

"No one here thinks you won MasterChef," Joe deadpanned, earning laughs all around. "But we're proud of you for improving to the point of cooking something edible."

Beca shook her head, glancing at Chloe and feeling warm at the happy look on her face. She moved closer to the redhead and laced their fingers together, giving her a small smile and trying to convey how glad she was that Chloe was here with her family.

Ben took advantage of the momentary lapse in conversation to suggest, "Well, since breakfast is over, why don't we head on into the living room and open presents?"

Sheila agreed and led the way towards the large Christmas tree by the piano, but Beca tightened her grip on Chloe's hand before she could follow. She waited as her family left the kitchen, before pulling the redhead closer, stretching up for a kiss.

"I'm really happy you're here," Beca said softly. "Much better than our first Christmas as a couple."

Chloe winked at her, replying, "I don't know what you're talking about. This is our first Christmas as a couple...and it's perfect."

Beca shook her head, acknowledging defeat, and let Chloe lead her into the family room. They settled comfortably on the loveseat, with Sheila and her parents already occupying the couch. Ben entered moments later carrying the last few presents and placing them under the tree.

"Ready, Becs?" he asked, producing her Santa hat from a bag and tossing it to her.

Beca caught the faded hat with a smile, turning it over in her hands before putting it on. "Ready," she said, grinning at Chloe and looking expectantly at Sheila.

The blonde rose from the couch and began removing the stockings from their hooks on the mantel, passing them to their respective owners. Beca noticed that Chloe seemed surprised there was one for her, and she leaned in to whisper, "You're part of the family now, Beale. Get used to it."

Chloe smiled at her, replying, "Wouldn't have it any other way. That hat is adorable on you."

Beca scowled, "I'm not adorable, I'm a badass."

"Mm hmm," Chloe hummed, not at all convinced.

Knowing it was a battle she would lose, Beca focused her attention on her stocking instead. As per usual, she pulled out several packets of coal, chuckling with each one. Chloe looked over, a laugh escaping her as well when she saw what Beca was sifting through.

"Been naughty this year, Becs?" Chloe teased, gently nudging her arm.

"Always," Beca shot back with a smirk.

She reached down to the bottom of her stocking and pulled out a pack of new flash drives. Looking up, she gave Sheila an appreciative smile, saying, "Can never have too many of these."

"I know you use them like crazy," Sheila nodded, pulling a small cookbook out of her stocking, smiling immediately and turned to say something to Ben.

Beca agreed, setting them to the side and reaching down to grab the last item, which turned out to be a small pack of mini multi-colored sharpies. She regarded them curiously, having realized by now that her stocking held some connection to whatever larger present her dad and Sheila had gotten her. Beca was stumped this time, having no clue what to do with the permanent markers in her hand. She set them aside, turning to see Chloe living a teacher's dream surrounded by a small pile of organizational office supplies, happily flipping through a new day planner.

"Damn, you made out like a bandit, Beale," Beca teased, reaching for a pack of sticky page marker tabs.

Chloe swatted her hand away, giving her a serious stare. "Keep your hands off my presents, Mitchell," she warned.

Despite her girlfriend's tone, Beca's stomach flipped a little at the way Chloe said her last name. She bit down on her lower lip, holding Chloe's stare a second longer than necessary before looking away. It was ridiculous how hot her girlfriend was. Those pure blue eyes with that knowing look were going to kill her one day. She knew exactly what she was doing, and now Beca was forced to sit beside her and somehow not rip her clothes off, the way she wanted to every time Chloe used her surname.

Forcing those thoughts down, Beca adjusted her Santa hat and made her way over to the tree. At her dad's nod of approval, she began handing out presents. For some reason, there seemed to be more than usual under the tree, though that might have been because she dragged her own pile back to the couch to open beside Chloe. Once all the packages had been distributed, she looked around and whistled for Zeus, wondering where he'd gone.

He came thumping down the stairs into the room, tail wagging furiously as he looked up at Beca. She rubbed his head and behind each ear before saying, "You can open your presents first, bud."

Beca dug around in her pile until she found the thin package she was looking for, offering it to the dog. He spent a few moments sniffing at it before deciding it wasn't food, and moved away to sniff at the tree.

Everyone burst out laughing as Beca grumbled, "Ungrateful mutt." She tore open the paper to reveal a brand new green collar with Zeus' name stitched in large silver letters.

"Why green?" Chloe asked curiously.

Beca smirked. "Because if he went to Hogwarts, he'd be in Slytherin like me," she answered simply, calling the dog over and swapping the old collar for the new one.

Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "You might belong in Slytherin, but that handsome fella is a Hufflepuff all the way. Loyal and playful as they come."

Beca covered Zeus' ears, a scandalized expression on her face. "How are we dating?! It's like I don't even know you..." she trailed off, turning her attention to Zeus. "Don't listen to her," she whispered, placing a kiss on the top of his nose and getting one to the cheek in return.

Beca spun around and grabbed another present from her pile, one that wasn't well disguised. Zeus' tail started wagging furiously as he sniffed at it, before impatiently taking it in his mouth and whacking it into Beca's thigh as he tried to spin away.

"Oh, this one he wants bad enough to beat me over it," Beca joked, watching happily as he tore at the paper with his teeth until the giant bone was revealed. She quickly snatched the wrapping paper away as he settled comfortably in the middle of the room gnawing happily on the bone.

Chloe watched him for a moment, commenting, "You spoil him, Becs."

Beca's grin was ear to ear as her eyes never left the dog, agreeing instantly, "Yep. But if you think I'm bad, wait 'til you see what Sheila got him."

Ben's gaze flickered between his daughter and wife, before asking Sheila, "What'd you do?"

Sheila glared at Beca. "That was our secret!"

Beca laughed, choosing to answer Ben's question instead of responding to Sheila's outrage. "She bought him a week at the doggy resort while we're in New York for New Year's Eve. We'll be able to pull up a video feed of him any time we want, and he gets treats and playtime twice a day."

Ben groaned, knowing it must have cost a small fortune. "Really, honey?"

"He'll be devastated that we left him for a week," Sheila said defensively. "I just want him to be happy and have fun while we're gone, and not be locked in some tiny crate. He's my grand-doggy after all."

Beca grinned, looking over at Chloe. "And that's just for Zeus. Can you imagine how it'll be when we have kids?" Chloe's raised eyebrows had her backtracking at the speed of light. "I mean, if we have kids. I know that's like, forever away, and I mean...maybe we'll never have kids, or maybe..."

"Beca," Chloe interrupted, glancing around at the stunned faces in the room.

Beca looked around sheepishly, "Sorry, I know I was rambling, I just...I think about it, sometimes."

"Really?" Ben asked, his tone hopeful.

"I mean...yeah, sometimes," Beca admitted, feeling a little better when Chloe's hand slipped into hers. "You okay with that, dad?"

Ben's smile covered his face as he nodded. "I think I can handle it, though you're right...we may have to set some limits for Sheila."

"I'll spoil them any and every way I'm allowed to," Sheila responded, ignoring Ben's words and winking at Beca and Chloe.

"They'd be lucky to have you, all of you," Chloe said, looking around the room before meeting Beca's gaze.

Joe broke the moment, saying gruffly, "Well don't wait too long. I'm planning on being a great grandfather."

Beca looked over at the man, breaking into a smile. "Slow your roll, Gramps. I haven't even asked Chloe to marry me yet," she said, pulling a small box out of her pocket and turning back to her girlfriend.

"Beca..." Chloe breathed, nervously looking at the brunette as Sheila and Nancy audibly gasped.

Beca held the moment a few seconds longer, before snickering and opening the box to reveal a single flash drive. "I'm sorry, it was too perfect, I couldn't...ow! I said...hey! I said I was sorry!"

Chloe smacked her thigh once more for good measure. "You're an idiot."

"Beca, you almost gave us all a heart attack," Sheila said, her hand pressed tightly to her chest. "Jesus."

"Gramps set it up too perfectly," Beca insisted, still clutching the flash drive. "I couldn't resist. Besides Chlo, when I do propose," she said confidently, "It'll be private, just for us. For now, you get my latest mixes. All the songs that make me think of you, and a new song I wrote just for you."

Chloe leaned forward to take the small drive, holding it as if it were worth millions. "I love it."

Beca rolled her eyes. "You haven't even heard it yet."

"Doesn't matter. You're the most talented, romantic girlfriend ever, and I already know I'll love it."

Nancy sighed, "You two are just precious. Beca, are you sure you don't want to propose?" she teased.

Beca smiled, shaking her head. "I'm sure. Chloe and I are very happy, but I think we both know we're not quite there yet."

She turned to look at her girlfriend, troubled to find a pensive, almost neutral expression that quickly morphed into a smile. Beca made a mental note to talk to Chloe about it later, deciding now wasn't the time.

"Okay, now that Zeus' is occupied, let's open presents," Beca suggested, eager to change the topic of conversation. "Save the skiing and snowboarding penguins in Santa hats for last! It's from me and it will not be outdone."

Chaos reigned for the next twenty minutes as paper was ripped and cheers were had with each new discovery. The presents ranged from clothes and fuzzy, warm socks to electronic gadgets and a diamond tennis bracelet from Ben to Sheila. Beca opened up a Google Home from Joe and Nancy, excitedly looking over the box while Chloe was left speechless at the pair of season tickets to the San Diego Civic Theater from Ben and Sheila.

Beca's last gift was the one from her parents, while everyone else had saved the one from her as requested. She tore the paper off the small box, eyes going wide as she regarded the simple Polaroid camera in her lap. "So the sharpies are to write on the photos?" she asked excitedly, spinning the box around to read the description on the back.

Ben nodded, saying, "Yep. There's also one more thing taped to the bottom."

Beca pulled the taped envelope from the bottom of the box, opening it to find a prepaid VISA gift card. "You guys are insane for giving me money," she said, stuffing the card back into the envelope.

Sheila shook her head, insisting, "We promised you one all expenses paid vacation, so you better use that to do something fun this summer with Chloe. You need a break so you don't get burned out."

"Fine," Beca conceded, looking over at her girlfriend. "It's for like, five grand," she explained, shrugging helplessly against her parent's wishes. "To accompany the flights and hotel package they got me for my birthday. Nut jobs," she finished, giving them both a smile and eye roll.

"Love you too, kid," Sheila answered, a fond look on her face. "I'll make an amateur photographer outta you yet. Take lots of photos on your trip."

Chloe nodded in agreement with Sheila, saying, "Becs, they're right. You've been working so hard these past two years….you need to take a break."

Beca sighed, "Yeah, I know. Things are gonna get crazy again, soon. My new album is doing well."

Chloe slid an envelope onto her lap. "I know. That's why I got you this. Merry Christmas, baby."

Beca grinned at her girlfriend, before quickly opening the envelope and pulling out the card. She read the note quickly, before leaning over and pressing a kiss to Chloe's lips. "Love you too, babe."

Beca unfolded the paper, giving a happy shout and wrapping Chloe in a hug. "You got us tickets to go see P!nk?!"

Chloe laughed, "Yeah, I know you've always wanted to see her perform live. I thought it might be fun for you to just go listen to a show, instead of having to perform. Plus, as an added bonus, I could go with you."

Beca smirked, saying, "How could I pass that up? Sounds amazing, babe. Thank you."

Despite Beca's protests, they all insisted on opening her gifts one at a time, because, "If they're as good as you say, we all want to see all of them," Joe insisted.

Ben went first, opening up the small box to reveal a card and two tickets to Hamilton in New York while they were there for Beca's New Year's Eve performance. He shook his head in disbelief, asking, "Becs, how did you get these? The waiting list is over a year long and the tickets are a small fortune..."

Joe and Nancy went next, opening up the box to find their own card inviting them to New York for the celebration, along with paid flights, hotel, and tickets to the same performance of Hamilton.

Sheila's jaw hit the floor when she saw a year-long subscription to Blue Apron. "They really deliver everything you need to cook the meal to your door? And tell you how to cook it?"

Beca nodded, answering, "I know how much you hate grocery shopping, and Dad already told me a bunch of times you were really improving in the kitchen. Thought this would be fun for ya. It also comes with matching Life Alert necklaces in case you manage to cook something deadly."

"Very funny," Sheila deadpanned, her eyes still scanning the little booklet that described the service.

Chloe was last, and was also stunned to tear away the paper and reveal a brand new iPad Pro, Apple pen, and wireless keyboard. "Becs, this is too much..."

Beca shook her head no. "Chlo, I've heard for a year now about how much it sucks to have to print everything out, grade it by hand, and scan it back into the computer system at school. Barden has gone digital, and so should you. Now you can grade right on your iPad, and you won't have to trade in your old one that's basically a dinosaur."

Chloe wiped a tear from her eye, before leaning in to give the brunette a kiss. "I love you. This was too thoughtful."

"I love you too, Chlo. And you need this," Beca reasoned, rubbing softly over Chloe's back.

A squeaking sound interrupted the moment, causing both women to turn and look at Zeus, chomping down on a brand new plush squirrel toy. Beca gave Sheila an accusatory stare, the blonde not noticing for a minute as her eyes remained fixed on the happy dog.

"Stepmonster, that squeaky toy is staying here. No way it's coming back to our place with the squeaker intact," Beca warned, as Zeus continued to drool over his prize.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sheila waved her words away, still watching Zeus with a smile on her face. "Look how happy he is."

Beca looked at Joe and Nancy, asking, "How did you keep from getting a pet when she was younger? The only reason she doesn't have a dog now is because dad won't let her."

"We wouldn't let her," Joe said simply, a rye smile on his face. "She threw fits about it for years, but it wasn't gonna happen."

"One day I'll have my own dog," Sheila said, glancing over at Ben. "I'll wear you down, eventually."

"Good luck," Ben challenged, leaning comfortably back against the couch.

Sheila patted his knee and gave him a knowing look, before saying, "Let's get this place cleaned up so Beca can give us a concert."

Beca unclipped Zeus' leash when Chloe opened the apartment door, letting the dog trot happily inside ahead of them. They carried the same bags back inside, only now they were full of gifts from her parents and grandparents. It had been a fun day with her family, but Beca was more than ready to collapse on the couch and fall asleep on Chloe under the pretense of watching a movie.

She turned to locate her girlfriend who was unpacking the gifts onto the table. Beca's mind wandered back over the day, recalling the strange look on Chloe's face when she pretended to propose.

"Hey, Chlo?" she asked, waiting for the redhead to turn around and look at her. "Was everything okay today? You looked a little off after I fake proposed."

The same look covered Chloe's face, spiking Beca's curiosity. "It was fine," Chloe answered, folding up the now empty bags.

"Okay, liar," Beca retorted, watching her face closely. "What's wrong?"

Chloe bit her lip, looking down before meeting her eyes. "I thought you were actually doing it...and I totes panicked at first, but I was a little disappointed when it was only a joke."

Beca sighed, moving to stand in front of her girlfriend. "Chlo, you know I love you, but do you really think we're ready to get married? It's kind of a big deal, and we've barely had the chance to date."

"Believe me, I was not expecting to feel that way," Chloe admitted. "I think my brain knows we're not ready for that step yet, but I still got really excited at the thought of being engaged to you. I'm okay now...I know we've got all the time in the world."

Beca chuckled, replying, "Well, not ALL the time...Gramps seemed to demand we move things along pretty quickly."

Chloe grinned, pointing a finger at Beca, accusing, "It was your fault anyways for bringing up our future kids. Where the hell did that come from?"

"What? We've talked about having kids before," Beca answered with a shrug. "That's not news."

"Not to us, but to them it was!" Chloe retorted, shaking her head. "Why'd your dad seem so surprised you wanted kids?"

Beca mused for a moment. "Probably because that's one topic Sheila and I always agreed on, and it kinda devastated him. She never wanted kids, and I didn't either. Not 'til I met you, anyway."

"But you love kids. Why didn't you want any of your own?" Chloe asked.

Beca gave her a look, answering, "Kids are hard. I guess I never thought I'd find someone I loved enough to tackle that challenge with. Someone that I trusted enough to take that step. I wasn't really open to the thought of a happily ever after for me that included more than music."

Chloe remained silent at that confession, and Beca took the opportunity to voice the words she sometimes left unsaid. "I kinda love you, Chlo. You've changed me, helped me grow into a semi-adjusted adult."

"That's yet to be seen," Chloe teased, though Beca could see the emotion building in her eyes.

"I'm better with you...you make me want to be the best version of me," Beca continued, ignoring the impulse to trade barbs with her girlfriend. "I want to be the best me for you," she said, placing her hands on Chloe's hips and pulling her closer.

Chloe whispered, "Are you trying to make me cry? Because it's not working, I just have something in my eyes."

Beca smiled, shaking her head slowly and leaned up to press her lips to Chloe's. It was slow and sweet, and completely interrupted by Zeus nosing forcefully between them.

"Come on, dude," Beca grouched, though she immediately reached down to rub his head. She looked up at Chloe suddenly with a slightly panicked expression, asking, "Have you called your mom today?"

Chloe laughed, nodding as she answered, "Yes, of course. But it was brief, and we didn't talk much. Just enough to say hi and wish everyone a Merry Christmas."

Beca glanced over at the table, suggesting, "We could set up your new iPad and FaceTime them? It's not late at all in Nashville."

The eager look on Chloe's face told her all she needed to know, grinning as the redhead bounced over to the table to grab the box. After a few moments, they had the contents out on the coffee table alongside Chloe's laptop and were going through the setup instructions.

"This is going to make a huge difference for me, Bec," Chloe said excitedly, unwrapping the special pen and inspecting it carefully. "I'll be able to grade and submit scores right on the iPad!"

"Yep, and now you won't have to use that crummy computer at school as much," Beca added distractedly, looking at something on her phone.

Chloe sighed, "It's really not that bad of a machine, it's just getting old. I actually love that Barden puts most of its resources into the students or student programs. It should go to the kids."

"I'll make a donation to the teachers," Beca said, still only half paying attention. "It's hard to teach without the resources you need. I shouldn't have to remind you of that."

"You don't," Chloe answered, her tone neutral. "But Barden is a far cry from what I was dealing with before. It's like a palace comparatively."

Beca frowned, distracted again, and finally Chloe's curiosity got the better of her. "What are you doing on your phone, anyways?"

"Uh..." Beca hesitated, her eyes scanning quickly over the screen before turning it face down and looking at her girlfriend. "Sorry, I wasn't avoiding. Scotty just forwarded me resumes for the two publicist candidates Teddy found."

"And?" Chloe asked expectantly. "Any red flags?"

Beca shook her head no, looking back at her phone and scrolling through one of the resumes again. "No, but I probably wouldn't be able to tell anyways. Both come from reputable companies and only handle high profile clients," she read aloud from Scotty's email.

"I'm meeting with both of them the day we get back from New York," Beca grumbled, locking her phone and tossing it onto the coffee table. "Maybe we should extend our trip and stay a few more days," she suggested hopefully.

Chloe shot her a look that had her backpedaling. "Fine, I'll meet with them," Beca conceded.

"And you'll be nice," Chloe added, pointing a finger at her.

"I'm always nice," Beca retorted, looking over at the iPad hoping the setup was complete. It wasn't.

Chloe laughed, "Funny, but I mean it. Poor Scotty is at the end of his rope dealing with your career, and he needs the help. He'll quit if you don't hire someone."

Beca looked sharply at her girlfriend. "What do you mean, he'll quit?"

Chloe sighed, answering, "Beca, he can't do it alone. You don't see the behind the scenes stuff, you just show up and everything works. Also, a raise wouldn't hurt..."

"You two need to stop hanging out, or talking, or whatever is causing this to happen," Beca said, though she wasn't angry. "This must be how my dad felt all the time when Sheila and I ganged up on him. I'll play nice with the publicist, but no one's getting a raise until I do when Teddy renegotiates my contract. It's not like I let him or Isaac go hungry."

Chloe grinned, moving to wrap her arms around the brunette. "I know you don't. You love them."

"Ugh, Beale, don't be ridiculous," Beca replied, the fondness in her tone betraying her actions of sitting limply and not returning the redhead's hug. "Let's call your crazy family before I can reveal feelings that have no business being said out loud."

"You're really sweet, Becs," Chloe said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I don't know why you try so hard to hide it. It's adorable. You're getting much better at talking about how you feel to me."

Beca replied immediately, without thinking, "That's because you're the love of my life. Everything's easier with you."

Before she knew it, Beca was flat on her back on the couch, Chloe's lips fused to her own as the redhead straddled her hips. It was hard to think straight when Chloe was kissing her like that, but after a minute she forced her back, sucking in a deep breath.

"What about calling your parents?"

Chloe sat up, stripping her shirt off quickly and tossing it to the floor. "You can't say something like that and expect me to focus on anything except taking you to bed."

Beca could only stare as Chloe reached behind her back and unhooked her bra, tossing it in the same direction as her shirt. Her hands itched to touch the exposed skin in front of her. Chloe smirked down at her as her fingers deftly unbuttoned Beca's jeans and slid the zipper down, moving lower over damp lace.

"Still want to call my parents?"

* * *

Beca leaned back into the comfortable leather seat of the black town car as Isaac drove swiftly away from the airport. The flight had been uneventful, and now she and Chloe were on their way into New York City on a mini vacation. Her rehearsal schedule wasn't bad at all and the label had only scheduled her two press appearances so she was in a pretty incredible mood.

Beca looked over at Chloe, asking, "Do you think Zeus is okay?"

Chloe sighed, rolling her eyes as she answered, "Beca. He's fine. My answer hasn't changed since you asked on the plane, or since we went through security at the airport, or even since the second we pulled out of the place's parking lot."

"Okay, okay, I thought being sarcastic and snarky was my thing," Beca replied, looking down at her hands. "He's never been left alone with strangers before, that's all. What if he thinks I abandoned him?"

"What about all the times you had to travel for work before the tour?" Chloe asked, ignoring the brunette's question.

Beca scoffed, "He stayed in my apartment and Veronica took care of him. Like I'd ever take him back to anything resembling a shelter."

Chloe turned to look at her, asking, "Who's Veronica?"

"The pet-sitter," Beca answered, not noticing the edge to Chloe's tone.

"And why have I never heard of her?"

"Because I haven't needed her in forever since Zeus went on tour with me," Beca answered, her voice turning curious. "Beale, are you jealous of the dog sitter?"

Chloe huffed, "No, of course not."

Beca smirked at the redhead, "Oh, okay. I mean she's hot and all, but I didn't want to make it weird for Zeus."

"You're an idiot," Chloe shot back, turning to look out the window.

"Aw, babe, you love my sense of humor," Beca replied, sliding over to the middle seat and resting her hand on Chloe's thigh. "Just like you love me."

Chloe gave her a light shove, shaking her head. "Nope, I don't like you at all."

"That's not what you were saying last night..." Beca trailed off smugly, sliding back to her side of the backseat. Deciding to stop teasing her girlfriend, she added, "Zeus will be staying in California from now on, anyways."

Chloe glanced at her, softening a little at the peace offering...but only a little. "True. So you won't need that skanky dog-walker anymore."

"Well that's uncalled for. She was a very nice lady with a husband and four kids," Beca retorted, glaring at the short laugh that came from the driver's seat.

"Really?" Chloe eyed her suspiciously, before addressing the man. "Isaac?"

Beca added her voice to the mix, her tone full of warning as she said, "Isaac..."

Isaac met her eyes in the rearview mirror, before answering simply, "She was single and skanky."

"HA!" Chloe pointed a finger at Beca at the same time as the brunette swore loudly at her driver.

"Isaac, you're supposed to be on my side!" she complained. "Nothing happened, anyways. She wasn't my type."

Chloe slid across the backseat, pressing her lips to Beca's in a searing kiss. "I know. She wasn't me."

"Not even close," Beca breathed, leaning in for another kiss.

Beca laced her fingers with Chloe's as they separated, sitting back to look out the window at the city skyline. She could barely believe she was about to perform at the biggest New Year's show of them all, and then celebrate with the woman who's completely turned her life upside down. "What even is my life?" she mumbled.

"You okay, baby?"

Beca looked at Chloe's concerned face, wondering what she did to deserve this woman's love. "Yeah," she said finally, nodding for confirmation. "What do you want to do, today?"

Chloe studied her for a moment longer, before answering, "I want to explore the city with you. I've never been before."

"What?" Beca couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice or off her face. "What do you mean you've never been to New York before?"

Chloe shrugged. "I've never been. How many times have you been?"

"Too many to count," Beca replied, before blushing and shooting her girlfriend a guilty look. "I mean, there's a lot of press in New York. I've never been for fun...only for work."

"I'm a little jealous you got everyone tickets to Hamilton except us," Chloe said begrudgingly. "I've always wanted to see a play on Broadway."

Beca gave her a small smile, asking, "Chlo, do you think I'd really get everyone tickets to Hamilton but us? I would have gotten some for your family too, but they aren't arriving until the evening of the thirtieth. Nothing I said changed their minds."

Chloe squealed and flung herself across the seat, wrapping Beca in a tight hug. "I love you so much!" she exclaimed.

Beca gasped as one of Chloe's arms connected with her side, knocking the wind out of her. "Beale," she breathed, leaning against the door as Chloe squeezed tighter. "You'll be attending my funeral instead if you squeeze the life out of me in happiness."

Chloe pulled back, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Don't be so dramatic," she said, her smile still covering her face.

"Yeah, okay, no idea where I'd get that from," Beca joked, earning herself a raised eyebrow.

They arrived at the hotel a few minutes later, Isaac quickly rounding the car to help them with their bags. Beca looked up at the tall, black doors before passing through them, the silver letters above spelling out "Park Hyatt New York" and wondered again how this was her real life. The hotel was stunning, and yet she hoped she never got used to being amazed at luxuries like this. She glanced at Chloe to find her girlfriend's eyes looking around in disbelief.

"Beca," Chloe whispered, coming right up beside her. "This place must cost a fortune! Is my family staying here?"

Beca nodded, replying, "It's actually not that bad for the average room. Our suite is a little more expensive, but the privacy is worth it." She paused for a second, before winking and adding, "So is the room service."

"I'll never get used to this," Chloe mumbled, looking around the lobby again.

Beca slipped an arm around her waist, replying, "Good, me either. That means we'll never take it for granted."

Isaac came up behind them moments later with their bags. He leaned down and spoke discretely into Beca's ear, "Becs, people are starting to stare. Let's get you checked in now."

Beca immediately looked around self-consciously, noticing a few less than subtle stares. She scowled and nodded, taking Chloe's hand as they followed Isaac to the reception desk. In minutes they were checked in and on their way up to their room.

* * *

Beca walked quickly alongside Scotty through the roped off areas to the stage where her band awaited. It had been a couple of weeks since they'd wrapped the tour, and she was admittedly excited to see them. A close bond had developed in the long grind of the tour, and she missed their different personalities.

It was their first sound check for the Rockin' New Year's Eve performance, and while Beca wasn't thrilled about having to perform Dancing On My Own, she'd accepted the fact that it was her biggest hit off her latest album and was larger than life right now. Joey knew it would be, and she'd gotten a giant 'I TOLD YOU SO' text upon finding out just how many downloads and purchases came in after one week. To make matters worse, the acoustic version was selling on par with the dance/pop one which Joey was extra smug about. Beca had initially tried to get a different song approved, but was shot down twice before deciding to make the best of it.

"How was your Christmas, Scotty?" she asked.

"It was good, thanks," he replied, shooting her a smile. "Nice to go home for a few days and not work."

Beca smirked, replying, "Ah, that slave driver of a boss finally gave you time off? Glad you were able to relax a little."

"Who said I relaxed?" he shot back coolly.

"Come on, Scotty, my career won't die if you take a day off," Beca grumbled, feeling guilty at the workload she placed on the man's shoulders.

Quick as ever, Scotty retorted, "It won't after you hire a publicist. Then they'll be responsible for that, while I take a real vacation and go sip drinks out of pineapples on a beach somewhere."

Beca laughed, picturing him laid back on a beach chair sipping from a pineapple, before processing what he actually said. "I already agreed to hire a publicist, and don't think I didn't notice you set those interviews up for the day I get back to Cali," she said, her tone accusatory. "Couldn't even give me a day to settle in. You'll be there, right?"

"For the first part," he agreed, stopping at the edge of the stage where her band was helping set up. "But I think it's important that you talk to them alone, too."

"Whyyyy?" Beca whined, drawing out the word. "That sounds like a terrible idea."

"Beca, you need to like them," Scotty answered, his tone serious. "I'll be meeting with them extensively, as will Teddy. But you need to see if you can work with them or not."

Beca sighed, "I know. Sorry I'm being a pain in the ass about this. I just don't want to do it," she said honestly, smirk in place.

"Yeah, well, sucks to be you," Scotty replied, nudging her toward the stage. "Go finish setting up so we can get this show on the road."

Beca let out a frustrated groan, running her fingers through her hair before signaling her band to stop. She tugged the earpieces out as a sound tech approached, giving him a cool stare.

"Why can't you guys get this fixed?" she asked impatiently, watching him fiddle with one of the devices. "I can't hear a damn thing!"

They were an hour into rehearsal, and her in-ear monitors kept going completely silent on her. Beca was starting to feel a little more sympathetic to Mariah Carey's complaints the previous year, knowing how irritating it was to not be able to hear anything when you're trying to sing.

"We're working on it," the guy said quickly, mumbling a few words into his headset. "Maybe it's your IEMs…"

Beca rolled her eyes at him, retorting, "I used these at every stop on my last tour for five months and didn't have a single problem. Maybe it's your system," she finished, matching his condescending tone.

The look he gave her solidified the fact she wasn't making any new friends with the sound crew, but that wasn't her problem right now. They should be wrapping up for the day, and instead hadn't made it through the song once from start to finish.

"Again?" Rachel asked, sidling over and pulling her own earpiece out.

Beca nodded curtly, deciding it was better to stay silent than piss off the tech guy any more.

After another minute, he said, "Okay, let's try it now."

Beca bit back another snappy retort and stuffed the devices back in her ears. When he was out of earshot, she mumbled to Rachel, "Probably what he tells his girlfriend every time he fumbles through sex."

The woman cracked up, saying, "Well, at least you haven't lost your sense of humor."

Alex called out, "Are we going to try this again? Zak said if it still isn't working he'll give you his monitors and play blind."

Beca scoffed, "Not even Mr. Prodigy could pull that off."

"Challenge accepted!" Zak announced, moving to pull out his IEMs until a glare from Beca froze him in his tracks. "Or we can try it another time."

Beca spun back around to face the empty audience, stepping up to her mic and repositioned her guitar. "Okay, let's get through it at least once," she called, feeling a little hot as the lights hit her.

Thankfully, the music streamed through her in-ears loud and clear, and Beca sang the first verse and chorus without issue. However, midway through the second verse the monitors crackled and cut off again, prompting her to throw her hands up, spinning around to look at her band. A wave of dizziness hit her causing her to stumble a bit.

"Whoa," Beca mumbled as the music cut off, deciding to succumb to the feeling and drop to the stage to keep from throwing up.

Zak, Rachel, and Alex were at her side instantly, concerned faces surrounding her asking if she was okay. Scotty arrived moments later, pushing them all way.

"Give her some space," he ordered, directing them away. Kneeling down, he asked, "You okay, Becs?"

Beca took a couple deep breaths, before nodding up at him. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a little dizzy for a second, that's all."

"Maybe you should call…" Scotty began.

"I said I'm fine," Beca cut him off, slowly getting to her feet.

Scotty regarded her carefully, saying, "It just might not be a bad idea to call her back. That's all."

Beca shook her head no. "I'm fine. Just pissed off that we can't get through the song one fucking time."

Alex piped up from a few feet away, "She's gotta point. This is ridiculous."

Beca decided they'd battled enough for one day. "Scotty, I'm calling it. Tell them we'll be back tomorrow and to get their shit together and stop wasting our time."

She turned away from the man as he pulled out his phone, not waiting for a response, handing her guitar to a crew member as she left the stage.

* * *

Beca let out a sigh of relief as she entered her hotel room. Chloe was out shopping and exploring the area around their hotel, and she couldn't be more grateful for the alone time. Tossing her phone onto the bed, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower.

Rehearsal had been one frustration after another, and the hot water was exactly what she needed to let all that tension go. Well, that and maybe a little help from Chloe later that night. The redhead gave the best massages, and Beca craved those talented fingers working over her back and shoulders. She was tense everywhere, especially after Scotty had called her on the way back to the hotel to inform her that extra rehearsals had been added to the schedule to make sure that the performance went smoothly.

Beca stood under the spray longer than usual, sucking every last bit of energy from the hot water before turning it off and wrapping herself in a towel. She exited the bathroom to find Chloe sitting in one of the chairs in the main area of the suite looking concerned.

"Scotty called me," she said simply, and Beca knew this chat wasn't going to be fun.

"I'm fine, babe," Beca said, wanting to get straight to the point.

Chloe stood up, and Beca got the impression she was struggling to keep her voice even. "You almost passed out on stage today, Beca. How is that fine?"

Beca ran her fingers through her wet hair, turning back towards the bathroom, answering, "It was just a frustrating and stressful rehearsal, that's all. It happens."

Chloe didn't look convinced, and Beca stepped closer, placing her hands on the redhead's hips. "Chlo, I'm okay. I promise you."

Chloe held her eyes for a few long seconds, before nodding and pressing a kiss to her lips. "Scotty sounded really worried on the phone, Becs."

Beca chuckled, whispering against her lips, "Scotty worries entirely too much."

"Maybe he worries for the both of you," Chloe returned, kissing her again.

Beca pressed against her, kissing back firmly. "Maybe…" she trailed off, preferring the feeling of Chloe's lips on hers to any further conversation.

After a few minutes, Beca pulled back and adjusted her towel, looking hopefully at her girlfriend.

"What do you want?" Chloe asked suspiciously, unable to keep the smile off her face.

Beca rolled her shoulders, asking, "I was really tense after that failure of a rehearsal, and the shower only helped so much. Think I could bribe you for one of your famous massages?"

Chloe rolled her eyes in response, answering, "I think that could be arranged."

"And what would you like in return?"

Chloe thought for a minute, before stepping close and whispering in her ear.

Beca's eyes widened, before they darkened as she smirked. "Deal."

* * *

Despite the extra rehearsals, t had been a fun couple of days touring around the city with her parents, and Beca felt relaxed as she stepped out of the shower in the hotel room. Isaac had taken Chloe to pick up her family at the airport, but Beca decided to remain behind and let her girlfriend have some time alone with her family. She'd reserved a larger vehicle for the trip, knowing that Chloe's parents, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew would not fit in the small town car. Chloe had raised an eyebrow at the solid black Escalade, but refrained from commenting as she climbed into the passenger seat and waved goodbye.

If she was honest, Beca was glad for the time to herself. She loved being with Chloe, but she still craved that alone time to completely relax and let her mind wander. They'd spent the past two days sightseeing around the city, the highlight being the performance of Hamilton on Broadway followed by a late dinner with Beca's family. The show was incredible, and Beca knew it was worth every penny she paid for the tickets and then some.

She rubbed the towel over her hair until it was damp, letting it air-dry the rest of the way to it's naturally wavy state. After pulling on a pair of jeans and a simple v-neck, Beca stepped onto the balcony and looked out over the city lights. It was breathtaking, and she leaned on the railing looking down at the people below. Her phone buzzed inside on the table, and she reluctantly turned back inside to read the text from Chloe.

_My Muse [8:43 PM]: Almost back. 5 mins. Dinner?_

_Beca [8:44 PM]: Sure. We'll meet you in the lobby_

She locked her phone and slipped it into her back pocket, searching through her clothes for a warm jacket. It was a relatively warm winter for New York, but she still grabbed a scarf and boots to go with the coat. Exiting the room, she traveled down the hall and knocked on her parents door. She'd gotten them a suite as well, so that Sheila's parents could stay with them.

Sheila opened the door, before quickly pretending to try and shut it in her face, saying loudly, "We're not here!"

Beca narrowed her eyes, retorting, "Stepmonster, I can see you! Chloe's almost here with her family, are you guys ready for dinner?"

Ben pulled the door open fully, giving Sheila a kiss on the cheek as he said, "We're ready. Joe? Nancy?"

Sheila's parents appeared in the small hallway, and Beca stepped aside to let the group file out of the room. "Now, I want you all to be on your best behavior tonight," she mock lectured, giving them all a serious stare. "This is Chloe's family and I don't want them to have any idea how insane you all are."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sheila quipped, "You can't set the bar so high, kid. They'll obviously see how insane we are. How about we shoot for ending the night with everyone still in New York?"

Joe chimed in, "New York City or New York State?"

Beca sighed, moving away from them and pressing the down button for the elevator. "I've had some bad ideas, but this one is quickly skyrocketing to the top of the list."

Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulder, whispering, "Don't be nervous, Becs. It'll be fine."

She took a deep breath, looking up at her father and nodded. "Yeah, totally. It'll be great."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, a few people exiting and leaving it empty for them to pile in.

Nancy gave her a warm smile, asking, "Why are you so nervous, Beca?"

Beca hesitated, thinking over her answer before speaking. "I love Chloe, and I want to marry her someday. And I love you guys, and Chloe's family, and it'd just be nice if everyone got along."

"They're good people, right?" Joe asked gruffly. At Beca's nod, he continued, "Are we good people?" Beca continued to nod as he finished, "So why wouldn't we get along?"

Beca grinned, admitting, "Well, when you put it that way, Gramps, it'll probably be fine."

"Damn straight," Joe answered as the elevator reached the ground floor. "Unless they can't take a joke, then it might be a long night."

Beca knew that wouldn't be a problem, and stepped off the elevator to see Chloe and her family standing in the middle of the lobby. "Here goes nothing," she mumbled too low for anyone else to hear, as she felt Sheila come up behind her.

"Is that them? Not hard to see where Chloe's good looks come from, huh?" the blonde murmured. "No way in hell I'd bet that woman popped out five kids."

"Grace is definitely a force to be reckoned with," Beca agreed, turning to look at her stepmom.

"The boys aren't bad to look at either," Sheila added with a sly wink.

Beca rolled her eyes, turning away to walk over to the Beale's, giving a slight wave when Chloe caught her eye. Before she could say anything, Eddie had wriggled free from his mom's hold and sprinted over to her. She knelt down and caught him in a hug, wincing slightly at his loud shout of "Becaaaaaa!" in her ear.

"Hey Eddie," she greeted, giving him an extra squeeze before standing up straighter and holding his hand. "How was your trip?" she asked as the rest of the Beale's approached.

"It was so cool! We went in this giant plane and the pilot let me look into the front with all the buttons!" Eddie exclaimed happily, looking up at his dad for confirmation. "I want to fly a plane!"

CJ grinned at his son's enthusiasm, agreeing with the boy, "Sure, why not." At Nora's raised eyebrows, he shrugged and said, "He changes his mind every other week. By the end of the trip he'll want to be a singer like Beca."

Chloe laughed, saying, "True. Hard to argue with that."

Grace smiled fondly at her grandson. "We could all use some of that childlike innocence and willingness to dream these days. Things are too serious all the time. Beca, honey, how are you?" she asked, stepping forward to give the brunette a hug.

Beca hugged her back, answering, "I'm doing well. Thankful that the tour is over and I'll get a little downtime." She stepped back and realized introductions were in order.

"There's no good way to do this, so..." Beca trailed off, stepping aside to look at her family. "Grace, Christian, these are my parents Ben and Sheila, and Sheila's parents Joe and Nancy."

She stepped aside and said hi to CJ and Nora while their parents exchanged pleasantries, before introducing them as well. The large group stood chatting in the middle of the lobby for a few minutes, before Eddie tugged on Beca's hand, asking loudly, "When can we go for pizza? Daddy says they have the best pizza here."

Beca laughed, kneeling down again so she was on his level. "Are you ready for dinner, Eddie?"

The boy nodded excitedly, saying, "Can we get pizza?!"

Beca looked around, standing up as she asked, "Anyone object to pizza?" At the silent smiles and nods, she made the executive decision. "Pizza it is. Why don't we order in instead of going out. You guys can get checked in and we could eat in our room?" she suggested, looking at Chloe for confirmation.

Chloe nodded, adding, "Why don't you all get checked in and drop your bags in your rooms. We'll order a bunch of pizzas and drinks, and meet in our room in a half hour?"

"Perfect," Grace said, clapping her hands together. "Beca, thank you again for this. It's wonderful to be with family this time of year."

Beca nodded, replying, "It's really my pleasure. Also, Chloe would have killed me if I bailed on another holiday."

Chloe protested half-heartedly, "That's not true...okay, it's a little true. I just think certain things, like family, should be prioritized whenever possible."

"Couldn't agree more, Chloe," Sheila said, backing her up.

Beca nodded, knowing they were right. "That's why it was important to me that we were all here together. I couldn't get out of performing, but I could bring my family with me, so the choice was easy. Anyways, we'd better get to ordering pizzas. Come up to our room after you get settled."

Beca followed Chloe into their room five minutes later, and helped her clean up the few stray items out of the main area. After ordering dinner, Beca stripped off her winter clothes and hung up her jacket, looking over at the redhead.

"So far so good," she said, sitting down beside Chloe on the couch. "They seemed to hit it off okay down there."

Chloe nodded, shooting her a smile. "Thanks for making this happen. It means a lot to me to get to celebrate New Year's with you and my family. I miss them."

Beca wrapped her arm around Chloe's shoulders, loving the way the redhead cuddled into her. "I know you do, babe. I'm glad it all worked out, and I can't wait to celebrate with both our families."

As the evening progressed, Beca realized she had nothing to be nervous about. Grace and Sheila were chatting like reunited best friends after about five minutes in one end of the suite, with Ben, Christian, Joe, and Nancy engaged in a spirited debate on which California vineyard was superior. Chloe, Nora, and CJ were playing some sort of poking game with Eddie that she didn't understand, and was sure she did not want to participate in.

'Uh oh,' Beca thought, as Sheila called her name and beckoned her over to join their conversation. She made her way over slowly, carefully sidestepping Eddie as he flailed away from his father's outstretched hand.

"You rang, Stepmonster?" Beca grinned, compounding the words with a small, deeply sarcastic bow.

Sheila winked at Grace, saying, "Gotta train them young, you know?" Grace laughed as Sheila turned to Beca. "Grace wants to know when you're going to propose to Chloe," she stated bluntly, causing the other woman to regard her with a more serious expression. "I'd like to know as well," the blonde added, as a show of support for Grace's curiosity.

"You two are super nosy, aren't you," Beca commented, her eyes drawn to her girlfriend at the mention of her name. Chloe was laughing as Eddie poked at her stomach and sides, and she was momentarily captivated at the joy on her girlfriend's face. God, she was so beautiful.

"Yes," Grace said bluntly, recapturing the brunette's attention. "So spill and we won't have to keep asking."

Beca shrugged, looking back at the women. "It was just a joke at Christmas, which I'm beginning to regret. I love Chloe, but we're not getting engaged anytime soon. Unless she plans on popping the question..." she pondered, looking back at the redhead. "She might be impatient enough," Beca mused thoughtfully, before shaking her head, continuing, "But she wants me to ask. And I will, when I'm good and ready."

Grace looked a little put out as Sheila pushed, "So, you won't be proposing on stage during your performance?"

Beca looked scandalized at the idea, retorting, "Of course not! Are you insane? I'd never do that to Chloe...put her on the spot like that. Besides, that moment is for us. My whole life is public, but some things should be just for Chloe and I."

"That's so sweet, Beca," Grace said with a warm smile, placing her hand on Beca's arm. "We didn't mean to pry, we're just so happy for y'all."

"Thanks, mom," Chloe said as she came up behind Beca, wrapping her arms around her waist and dropping her chin onto her shoulder. "I think we're pretty happy, right baby?"

Beca smiled as she leaned back into her embrace, looking around the room at how naturally their families seemed to fit together. "Never been happier."

* * *

Beca smirked at her band as they exchanged high fives and fist bumps and got ready to go onstage. The extra rehearsals had gone about as well as the first until the very last one, when the crew had finally sorted out the sound problems. They had a great run through earlier that day, and were ready to perform live in Times Square.

"Ready?" Beca asked, looking around the group.

"Sure, not like anyone's watching," Alex deadpanned, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Zak and Rachel laughed along with Beca, while Travis just shook his head.

Beca looked over at him, asking, "Nervous, Gramps? Don't have a heart attack out there, or anything."

He raised an eyebrow, retorting immediately, "Says the one who could barely get through a rehearsal without passing out or blowing chunks."

"I'd call that a third degree burn, yeah?" Zak quipped, glancing over at Rachel. "Do you guys have a fancy British word for that?"

"He's gotta point there, Becs," Derek interjected, amidst the continued teasing and one very prominent middle finger. "Are you okay?"

Beca sighed, answering, "I'm fine, guys. It's just been a stressful couple of days. I wish people would stop asking me that. I'm getting the third degree every time I turn around from Chloe because Scotty tattles on me every time I blink wrong."

"We just care about you, dude," Zak chimed in, looking around at the nods from the group. "But don't make it weird, or anything."

Beca scoffed, "Yeah, I never do that. Ever." A crew member approached them, letting them know they were ready for them.

"Fuck it, let's go," Beca grinned, leading the way on stage.

The moment passed by in a blur, and before she knew it the entire stage went dark and all sound was drowned out by thousands of screaming fans. She recalled the lights coming on, the band performing every part in perfect rhythm, and most importantly, having zero technical difficulties.

She'd picked out Chloe and both their families in one of the front sections, grinning like a fool at the sight of Eddie dancing away on his father's shoulders. Beca had only looked briefly at Chloe, unable to stay focused at the burning look in her girlfriend's piercing blue eyes. She knew how her singing and performing affected the redhead, which then in turn affected her, and she couldn't afford to be distracted until later in their hotel room when she fulfilled her end of their previous deal.

Beca wanted nothing more than to join her family and celebrate the new year, but she was separated from her band as they left the stage and was taken to join Ryan Seacrest for her interview.

In a matter of minutes she was mic'd up and standing beside Ryan, noticing he looked exactly the same in person as he did on television, except up close the makeup was more obvious. Still, he was very attractive and charismatic, and she understood why he was such a popular host for shows and events.

"Beca, what an incredible performance!" Ryan began enthusiastically.

She smiled back at him, saying, "Thank you so much! All credit to my band and the crew…couldn't have done it without them."

He nodded, "And so humble. Tell me, you wrote that song, right? The lyrics are incredibly powerful…can you tell us the inspiration behind it?"

"Yes, I wrote it with the help of a few amazing lyricists at Big Machine," Beca answered. "As for the inspiration, I just tried to channel the feeling of unrequited love, which I may have had some personal experience with."

Ryan picked right up on that dangling thread, saying, "Well, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I hear you're in a relationship?"

"Yes, I am," Beca admitted, fighting the urge to clam up. "I have an amazing girlfriend who's managed to put up with me for about six months now. I'm so thankful that she's here, along with our families, to bring in the New Year."

Maintaining his usual charm, Ryan continued through his list of talking points. "That's wonderful to hear. You're relatively new on the scene, but have been nominated for five Grammy's! What was your reaction when you found out the news?"

"Stunned," Beca answered immediately with a laugh. "I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do what I love, but I couldn't do it without the support of Big Machine Records and all my fans. Thank you so much! I love you all!"

Ryan gave a wide smile to the camera, wrapping up the interview. "Five time Grammy nominee Beca Mitchell, always a joy to speak to you, darling. Congratulations. We'll be right back with a live performance from Katy Perry out on the west coast, and then Chance the Rapper performing live in Time's Square, next."

Beca breathed a sigh of relief when the camera cut off, quickly handing the microphone off to a crew member.

"You seem like you've been doing this a lot longer than a year and a half," Ryan commented, adjusting the hot warmers in his gloves.

Beca shrugged. "I'm a fast learner. Got any tips for me?"

Ryan laughed and shook his head. "Nope, you're doing just fine. I'll see you back here for the countdown at midnight. Bring Chloe, I'd love to meet her and get you two some camera time when the clock strikes zero."

Beca hesitated, looking at him suspiciously. "My relationship isn't a publicity stunt."

"Whoa, relax, I didn't mean it like that. Whether you like it or not, your relationship shows kids all over the world that it's okay to be different," Ryan explained, not seeming too affected by her statement. "Also, I figured you'd want her here since you have to be standing next to me at midnight, and I'm not gonna kiss you."

"No, you aren't," Beca confirmed, this time her smirk was back in place to go with her teasing tone.

* * *

 

Beca had her arm wrapped securely around Chloe's waist, standing beside Ryan, his girlfriend Shayna, Jenny McCarthy, her husband Donnie, and Chance, who had his daughter with him as his date. The girl was as cute as can be, and Beca had liked the man immediately when they were introduced earlier that evening.

The countdown had already begun, and as weird as Beca felt being next to these celebrities, she was invincible with Chloe by her side. Ryan and Jenny were exchanging comments about something, but she wasn't paying attention to anything except how blue Chloe's eyes were. They were trading glances, but Beca was finding it increasingly difficult to look away.

"Beca, I just have to say that you and Chloe are so cute together!" Jenny gushed, drawing them into the spotlight.

Chloe shifted closer to her, and Beca replied, "Thanks, Jenny, but I think we all know who the stunning one is in this group. Chance, we're all jealous of your date tonight."

Chance grinned and tickled his daughter, causing her to break out in fits of giggles as the rest of the adults nodded and smiled politely in agreement. Beca winked at Chloe, whispering, "Deflecting is the key strategy in these interviews."

Chloe leaned closer, pressing a kiss to her neck before whispering in her ear, "It's effective."

They counted off the last ten seconds as a group, before exclaiming "Happy New Year!" and turning to kiss their respective loved ones.

Beca met Chloe halfway, barely aware of any of the craziness happening around them. She remembered how the sparks flew the first time they kissed, and noted that it was different now. The attraction was still there, but it was a warm burn instead. As the flashes and fireworks went off around them, all Beca cared about was the feeling of Chloe's lips on hers, Chloe's arms wrapped around her neck, and wishing that that feeling of warmth and security and love would last forever.

In reality it only lasted a few seconds, as she didn't want to make out with Chloe on live television. They exchanged congratulations and hugs with the rest of their group, thankful that the show was panning to other cities around the world and their screen was reduced to a small corner of the broadcast.

Beca finally returned to Chloe's side, having been separated as the redhead had been cornered into a small conversation with Jenny. "Thanks for coming with me," Beca said happily, pressing another quick kiss to her lips. "I love you, Chlo."

"I love you, Mitchell," Chloe said, using her last name on purpose to stoke the already burning fire.

Beca's eyes narrowed, knowing it would be a while before they were back at the hotel and truly alone. "That was mean."

Chloe grinned, shooting her a wink. "You love me anyways. Now come on, everyone's waiting for us."

Beca let Chloe take her hand, but instead of following, pulled her back into a deep kiss now that they were off the air. When she finally let Chloe pull back for air, her face was red and there was a noticeable flush rising up her chest.

Beca smirked at Chloe's obvious state of arousal, having gotten revenge for her girlfriend's constant teasing throughout the night. "Okay, let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thanks goes out to my new-ish beta, Arsto, for refusing to let me drop off the grid and let this story go on hiatus. Kudos to you, my friend.
> 
> Thanks also to everyone who continues to follow this little world! I'd love to hear your thoughts, even if it's just to complain about how long it's been since I last updated ;-).
> 
> Cheers!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, here's the start of more regular updates. I doubt they'll all be quite this fast, but the goal is 1-2 weeks. We'll see :-).
> 
> Please keep in mind my experience with most of the music industry is limited exclusively to YouTube and purchasing tracks on iTunes. I try to make things as real as possible, and my beta provides incredible insight, but sometimes (most of the time) I'm winging it.
> 
> Music:
> 
> Endlessly – The Cab

* * *

The rest of their vacation passed far too quickly for Beca's liking, and before she knew it, she was walking into the polished lobby of Teddy's office suite. The woman behind the reception desk recognized her immediately and informed her that the attorney was just finishing up with the first candidate. Beca smiled and thanked her, making her way to the comfortable chairs in the waiting area only to see Scotty already seated, flipping through a folder of papers.

"Fancy running into you here," Beca grumbled, dropping into the seat beside him. "I'm still mad at you for scheduling these so soon."

Scotty didn't look up from what he was reading, commenting, "Nice to see you, too. Did you have a good trip home?"

Beca nodded, answering, "Uneventful. We picked Zeus up last night. You'd have thought they tortured him there with how happy he was to see us."

"I'm sure he was very happy to have you home. He doesn't like to be away from you, you know," Scotty informed her, finally closing the folder and looking at her for the first time.

"The feeling is mutual. Wish I could say the same about you," she quipped, grinning at the way his eyes narrowed. "Geez, I'm kidding. You know I wouldn't last one day without you, Scotty."

Scotty huffed, "Don't worry, I'm well aware." After a moment, he asked, "Did you even read the resume's I sent you?"

Beca rolled her eyes, replying, "Yes, of course I did. I told you I would take this seriously."

"Who looks better on paper?" There was a bit of a challenge in his tone that Beca didn't care for.

"Is this a pop quiz, or something?" Beca retorted, looking at him suspiciously.

Scotty sighed, shaking his head no. "I just want to know what you think, Becs."

Beca studied him for another moment, before deciding he was being sincere. "Berit," she said decisively, feeling relieved when he nodded in agreement.

"Me too. So all we have to hope is that she can tolerate you," Scotty said, stuffing the folder in his messenger bag.

Beca remained silent, letting her manager have the win. The fact he was right had absolutely nothing to do with it. It didn't matter at all if Beca liked this woman, it only mattered that she was good at her job and could deal with Beca's less than inviting personality towards new people.

Her stomach took a nervous turn as Teddy turned a corner and approached them. His smile relaxed her a bit as she gave him a hug; stepping back as the two men shook hands and greeted each other.

"I've just met with Hannah," Teddy explained, quickly checking his watch. "Berit should arrive in thirty minutes. You've both got copies of the schedule I set up?"

Beca and Scotty nodded, and Teddy seemed satisfied with the nonverbal answer. "Good. You'll meet with each of them together and separately, and then we'll discuss both afterwards."

With that, he led them to the door of a conference room before returning to his office.

Beca hesitated at the door, gesturing to Scotty, "You go in first."

Scotty rolled his eyes huffing, "You're a child."

"Takes one to know one," Beca retorted, opening the door for him before he could reply.

She followed him inside regarding the bubbly brunette suspiciously as Scotty introduced himself. Beca followed suit, shaking the woman's hand before taking a seat at the table across from her beside her manager. She let Scotty control most of the interview, hands resting in her lap as she studied the woman. Beca could recognize she was smart and chalk full of personality. In fact, she almost reminded her of Chloe in that way except they looked nothing alike. However, while she found Chloe's enthusiasm adorable and sexy, she wanted to slap the happy right off this woman's face. It was annoying and already grating on her nerves, and it didn't help that Scotty seemed enamored by her after ten minutes.

Finally, he excused himself, leaving the two women alone. He paused at the door to give Beca a final stare behind the woman's back before exiting the room.

Beca wasn't surprised that Hannah asked her a question immediately.

"Why are you hiring a publicist now?" she asked, her curiosity seemingly genuine.

"Scotty threatened to quit if I didn't," Beca replied, keeping her answer short.

Hannah laughed. "So if working for you is so bad, why would I want to join the team?"

Beca pursed her lips, her dislike for the woman growing by the second. "I never said that. He got sick of doing two jobs and working nonstop. Why should I hire you?"

Hannah turned more serious, either due to the question or finally reading the mood in the room. "Because I'm excellent at what I do. I'm always available for my clients and they appreciate that flexibility."

"How many other clients do you have?" Beca fired off her next question.

"You would be my tenth," Hannah answered.

Beca scoffed, "But you can guarantee such personalized attention to my career?"

"I'm good at what I do, just like you are," Hannah replied. "I do my job so my clients can focus on theirs instead of whatever lie or fake story someone made up about them."

Beca was starting to change her mind a bit about the woman, as they chatted a little more about Hannah's current clients, before a knock on the door interrupted them. Teddy reappeared slipping smoothly into the room and apologized for cutting them off.

"Hannah, I'm sorry to end this chat so abruptly, but I need to talk to Beca immediately about her next contract," he explained.

Beca raised an eyebrow not expecting to have an update until the following week, but Teddy's eyes told her to stay silent. She shook Hannah's hand and said goodbye, remaining behind as Teddy escorted her out of the room. He returned a few minutes later not wasting any time in asking her opinion.

"Well, what'd you think of her?"

Beca shrugged. "I don't like her, but she could probably do the job... I guess. How was Berit? Am I even saying her name right?"

Teddy nodded, answering, "She's fine. A little... stiffer so you might like her better."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Beca asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That you're prickly, and don't like new people, and maybe you'd rather have someone who's a little prickly too," Teddy answered swiftly, not holding back his opinion. "Professional might be a better description.

Beca opened her mouth to reply before closing it and admitting the man was right. "Fine," she said begrudgingly. "There's no update on my contract is there?"

"There is, actually, but we'll discuss it later," Teddy answered, opening the door for her. "First, you need to meet Berit so you can hire her."

"Unless I hate her too," Beca mumbled under her breath, walking through the door into the hallway.

Teddy heard her, of course, commenting, "Hire her anyways. She won't be intimidated by you and comes very highly recommended in the field."

Beca didn't respond as she followed the lawyer to another small conference room.

"I'll come get you in twenty minutes," Teddy informed her, pausing with his hand on the door handle. "Think you can last that long?"

"No," she deadpanned, gesturing for him to open the door. "Scotty's in there, right?"

Teddy nodded and opened the door, allowing her to walk on past him. She could initially only see the back of the woman's head, her platinum blonde hair pulled up into a tight bun. Scotty's expression combined with the gentle closing of the door clued the woman into her presence, standing up and turning to face her.

Beca was stunned for several reasons, initially at how tall she was, not expecting the woman to tower over her. She was also not expecting her to be so young... and kinda gorgeous, in a non-traditional way. The woman's eyes raked over her from head to toe before extending a hand.

"Kommissar," she said simply, with a slight German accent. "It's nice to meet you."

"Uh... yeah, right," Beca said slowly, finally taking the woman's hand. "Wait, what?"

The blonde looked confused for a second, before catching on. "Kommissar," she repeated, before expanding thoughtfully, "You're so tiny."

"You... are physically flawless," Beca retorted, eyes widening as she realized what she said. "But that doesn't mean I like you," she added, scowling as she made her way around the table to sit beside Scotty. "Not a word," she muttered, refusing to look at the incredulous expression on his face.

"Wasn't going to," he replied, though his demeanor said the exact opposite, clearly holding back several thoughts behind the small smile that was forming.

Kommissar resumed her previous seat across the table from the pair, picking the conversation back up where she'd left off with Scotty.

"As I was saying, I started with the company straight after graduation from Stanford, and have been steadily promoted to higher profile clients over the past five years."

Scotty nodded, glancing at Beca before asking, "And how many clients do you have right now?"

"Twenty," she answered immediately. "Although, only two that would be considered on par or at a higher level than Beca."

Beca felt a twinge at the way her name rolled off the woman's tongue, her tone sounding regretful to put the artist in such elite company. "Why should I hire you when you've got so many other clients demanding your attention?" Beca asked bluntly.

Kommissar's steady gaze locked onto her eyes, answering, "Because I'm the best."

"The last person I interviewed said they were the best," Beca pushed back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why should I believe you over them?"

Gaze unflinching, the blonde replied, "I don't care what anyone else tells you. I don't have to prove anything to you. My reputation speaks for itself and my clients provide the proof."

Scotty stepped in, setting the mood a bit. "I did speak with several of your current clients, and they gave you glowing reviews. What would you say is your biggest weakness in this business?"

"I don't have a weakness," Kommissar answered directly, looking bored at his question. "Or patience for people wasting my time."

Beca's eyes widened a little at her condescending tone. "You do realize you're in an interview, right?"

Kommissar turned to face her again. "Yes. I also know that you've already decided to hire me. So all of this is pointless, wouldn't you agree?"

At that statement, Beca turned to Scotty, saying, "No. Absolutely not."

Scotty took a deep breath, looking back and forth between the two women. "I'll be back in a moment," he said, standing up and ignoring Beca's glare. "Don't kill each other."

With that final thought he left the room, and Beca ran her fingers through her hair.

"Who the fuck are you?" She finally asked, more curious than upset.

"Berit Schmidt, born in Hamburg, Germany, orphaned at the age of five, came to America for university before building an unprecedented public relations brand and reputation."

The answer was shockingly vulnerable and caught her off guard, though the blonde delivered it with the same stoicism she'd delivered every answer since Beca entered the room.

"Do you even want me as your client?" Beca asked, now definitely curious about the woman.

"You are one of the most popular musical talents in the world, yet you stay under the radar and out of the spotlight as much as possible. Your star is rising faster than you can keep up with, have had a scandal scare, and are worried about your reputation. Your manager is unable to keep up with your popularity and demand, and is ill-equipped to handle it. I can handle your career with limited effort, free him to do his job, and increase my portfolio tenfold with your name alone," Kommissar answered, along with an increasingly familiar bored tone and matching expression.

Beca scowled at her wondering how she figured handling her insane career would be so easy. The blonde's condescending attitude got on her last nerve, and she had zero desire to work with her, let alone hire her.

"Are you ever nice?" She finally asked.

"Are you?" Kommissar retorted, matching her stare.

Beca huffed, "No."

"You're lying.

Beca bit back the curse that threatened to escape, eyes narrowing at the woman across the table.

"Your music is good, but your lyrics scream vulnerability. It's why your fans love you, so I suppose it's a compliment," Kommissar finished. "Not my taste, but it's hard to argue with success."

Beca stared at her in disbelief, wondering if she actually just insulted the fact that her fans liked her music. It was in that moment that Scotty re-entered the room, visibly relieved that they were still sitting opposite each other at the table.

"Oh fuck off," Beca said, letting her frustration out on her manager. "We weren't actually going to fight."

Kommissar chuckled, adding, "Of course not. You're tiny... like a mouse. It wouldn't be fair."

Scotty interrupted before Beca could explode back at her, quickly saying, "Thank you so much for meeting with us today. We'll be in touch." As Beca rose out of her seat, he gave her a pointed stare and said, "Sit down."

Beca slumped back into the chair as he escorted Kommissar out of the room. She was really hoping Teddy had some good news about her contract to flip her mood around. After meeting with the two candidates she could definitely use a pick-me-up.

Five minutes later, Scotty returned, this time with Teddy following close behind him. Once all three were seated around the table, Teddy opened the discussion.

"Scotty, what did you think of them?"

"I liked Hannah's personality and charisma, but I think Kommissar is the way to go," Scotty replied. "I like her no-nonsense attitude, and have full confidence she will always do what's best for Beca's career. Her client load is a little worrisome, but maybe we can start with a short contract and find someone else if it doesn't work out."

Teddy nodded in agreement, looking over at Beca. "Well, grumpy? What'd you think?"

"I didn't like either of them," Beca scoffed, meeting his eyes. "Hire whomever Scotty wants."

Scotty grinned, saying, "She's just put out because she couldn't stop flirting with Kommissar."

Beca's eyes widened and she reached over to slap the back of the man's head. "Seriously?! I wasn't flirting with her!"

"You called her 'physically flawless' and stared at her for a solid thirty seconds when she introduced herself," Scotty pointed out, taking the rare opportunity to have the upper hand on the brunette.

"Fuck off," Beca told him again, looking back at Teddy. "Fine, hire her. Now, more importantly, tell me about my contract."

Teddy ignored her for a moment, asking Scotty, "Are you good with that? You'll be working fairly closely with her as well."

Scotty nodded his agreement, answering, "I'm good with it. I think we'll work fine together."

"Good," Teddy said, an air of finality in his tone. "Now, as for compensation. The company has requested twenty thousand per quarter."

Beca's eyebrows reached her hairline. "They want me to pay eighty grand annually?" Beca asked in disbelief. "That's insane."

Scotty took her side for once, saying, "That's incredibly steep, even for someone as talented as Berit. I'd suggest fifty."

Beca shook her head, sighing. "Christ, fifty is still high. Though, I guess it's not like it's all going straight to her... but still. I'm not her only client. She's making commission off twenty other suckers just like me."

Teddy's voice was neutral as he argued, "She's probably not making much on a majority of her clients. Maybe a few thousand each for the year. They also probably aren't a demand on her time. These publicists depend on their larger clients for a majority of their compensation and workload. If you want her, you'll need to at least make a competitive offer."

Beca thought for a moment, weighing all the factors carefully. "Fifty, tops. There's no way I'm paying more than the average annual salary for a publicist with twenty other clients, no matter how minor some may be. If she were to leave the company and just work for me... then we can talk about increasing the offer."

"That's not how this works, Becs. I deal with her company," Teddy countered, jotting down a few notes. "If you want to reach out to her personally, that's up to you."

Beca frowned, not wanting to do that at all. "I'd rather give her a six month contract and see how it goes."

Teddy nodded in agreement. "That works. I'll negotiate for no more than fifty thousand annually." After he was satisfied, Teddy set his pen down and flipped open a different folder.

Beca looked nervously over at Scotty while they waited for Teddy to get organized, wondering how hard the label was going to fight to keep her recording. His smile wasn't very reassuring, and she locked her fingers together in her lap when the lawyer cleared his throat.

"Okay, Becs, I've got relatively good news for you," he began, looking down at his notebook. "BMR has agreed to not opt for any of the extensions on your current contract and draft a new one requiring you to record two albums. In that new contract, I've negotiated significantly higher royalty rates, which I think you'll approve of."

"They have agreed to let you produce both albums, under the condition that Joey observes and assists as needed. You don't have to utilize him, but I didn't think it would be an issue considering you two have an excellent relationship."

Beca nodded in agreement, stating, "I don't have a problem with that. Joey can sit in and assist, but I want solo credit with the understanding that can change depending on how it goes."

Teddy hummed his approval, meeting her eyes for a moment before looking back at his notes. "They have also granted your request to handle all PR and appearances through your own staff. Apparently, you've proven capable of handling a little independence. They also agree to coordinate any future tours with your team, and you do have veto power to a certain extent. The details are extremely specific, but you can say no to a specific tour if it meets the criteria. I won't go that deep into the details now, but just know we can cross that bridge if and when we come to it."

Beca nodded again, asking, "Sounds good. What about producing?"

"BMR has extended a separate one-year contract to produce exclusively for the label. They're offering one hundred thousand, plus eight percent of all sales for each track and or album," Teddy continued, flipping a page over in his notebook.

"Wait, why exclusively for BMR? That really narrows down who I can work with," Beca said, frowning slightly.

Teddy shrugged, replying, "Becs, they caved on everything you wanted as an artist. I had to give them something. It's a year-long contract, with an option to extend for a second year if things are going well."

Beca thought for a moment, asking, "What are the options connected to my artist contract?"

"None," Teddy answered smugly.

Scotty rolled his eyes, saying, "Congrats, you did your job. Want a medal?"

"You have no idea how difficult my job is," Teddy retorted, barely offering the other man a second glance. "It took numerous phone calls and two face to face meetings to get to this point. It should have been handled with one phone call... two tops."

"Guys, put some ice on it, please," Beca said, rubbing her eyes. "I'm trying to understand what the hell I'm getting myself into now."

Both men fell silent, allowing her to think. "Okay, so I give them two more albums and I'm done?" Beca asked, taking a deep breath when Teddy nodded. More to herself than them, she muttered, "Two albums, so that's three, maybe four more tours... could be worse."

Scotty interrupted her thoughts, saying, "Minimum of three tours. One for your latest album, and one for each of the next two. Possibly a final fourth since you'll be headlining by then."

Beca waved at him to get him to shut up, not wanting to think about four more tours. It was four more than she wanted, but knew she probably wasn't going to get a better deal. It was more than she'd hoped for, considering the label had solid ground to stand on where her first contract was concerned.

Making up her mind, she looked at Teddy and said, "I'll sign the artist contract. It's a good deal. Now, about the producing one. I'll sign it if they agree to one minor change. I want them to remove the exclusivity clause and allow me to work with artists from other labels for a percentage fee... maybe a max of six percent? I also want them to agree to provide studio time, equipment, and techs for any project, regardless of the artist."

Teddy wrote down her request, taking a minute to look over his papers. "Okay, I think that's reasonable. I'll have them finalize the paperwork and send it over for you to sign."

Beca leaned back in her chair, suddenly feeling exhausted. "One day back from vacation and I'm already ready for another," she sighed.

* * *

Beca strolled easily around the apartment complex with Zeus, letting the dog sniff at each twig and blade of grass he encountered. She'd just gotten a call from Teddy informing her that the label had accepted her proposed terms with minor exceptions. BMR would have final approval over projects with artists from other labels, and requested a variable rate with a minimum of five percent. All in all, she was ecstatic. BMR was going to allow her to produce other artists as long as the project seemed promising, which was what she wanted all along. She never wanted to leave the label, and actually felt a strange sense of loyalty to the people that believed in her when she was no one. Beca smiled happily at the thought; glad that they'd reached a compromise where everyone walked away mostly happy.

Teddy had also passed along a message from the label that they wanted her back in the studio as soon as possible to record a single. Specifically the song she'd written and played for Chloe at the show in San Diego. Someone, or a few thousand someone's, had recorded it, uploaded it to YouTube, and it now had an absurd number of views. The label wanted her to lay down the track and release it as a single yesterday, according to the lawyer. Her band was on board to spend some time in the studio, and Scotty had already made arrangements for Beca to return to Nashville the following week.

"Come on, bud," Beca said cheerfully. "Chlo will be home soon."

She tugged him in the direction of their apartment, smiling at his reluctance to leave what must have been the most interesting dirt pile on Earth. They rounded the corner just as Chloe was pulling into a parking space. The redhead exited the car as they walked up, catching her eye.

"Aw, aren't you two so cute," Chloe grinned, walking down the sidewalk to meet them. She leaned down to pet Zeus and give his nose a kiss.

Beca huffed dramatically, retorting, "We're not cute, Beale. We're badasses."

Zeus laid down on the ground, rolling onto his back in hopes that Chloe would scratch his belly.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at the dog's actions. "Oh yeah, he's totes a badass."

Beca groaned, shaking her head as she muttered, "You're killing me, dude."

Chloe smiled, stepping closer to plant a kiss on her lips. "I like it," she whispered, kissing her again. "Let's go inside."

Zeus popped up off the ground, pulling at his leash to follow Chloe towards the building's entrance. Beca hurried to catch up to the redhead, falling into step beside her.

"I've got good news, actually, about my contract," she said, feeling the excitement of her new contract all over again.

"That's awesome!" Chloe answered as she opened the door and led the way inside their apartment; more cluttered than usual with boxes of Beca's things placed in several corners. The three of them were already feeling cramped in the small space, but Beca was determined to make it work until Chloe's lease ran up. She left most of her things in Nashville knowing she'd have to commute back and forth a fair amount for a while longer.

Soon they were settled on the couch and Chloe was grinning at her waiting for the news, making it difficult for Beca to concentrate on anything except how blue her girlfriend's eyes were.

"Okay, so they pretty much gave me everything I wanted," Beca started, sitting sideways on the couch facing the redhead. "Producing contract through the label with no exclusivity clause, so I can work with anyone I want. The downside is BMR has final approval over my projects, but I'm not too worried about that. It's setting me up perfectly to go into producing full time. My artist contract isn't great, but the compromise is worth it. Two more albums that I get to produce solo and no options to extend."

Chloe's smile grew bigger, replying, "That's better than you thought, right?"

Beca nodded, taking a deep breath and sighing further into the couch. "Yeah, I never thought they'd let me out of recording albums so easily. Teddy basically traded them artist for producer. It's not exactly a fair trade since I'd make them a ton more money as an artist, but they caved in the end."

"Well, they probably want to preserve the good relationship you have now," Chloe reasoned, shifting to stretch her legs over Beca's lap. "You like working with BMR, right?"

"Love it," Beca said happily. "I didn't want to leave the label. They gave me my shot. But I also know what I want for the future and that's more important to me than money or albums or labels. I can make music from anywhere," she finished, her hands idly tracing patterns over Chloe's calves.

Chloe studied her for a minute, before leaning in for a kiss. "Don't ever stop being you," she whispered.

"Why would I do that?" Beca grinned. "It's pretty great to be me."

"You know what I mean," Chloe rolled her eyes. "It can all go to your head, ya know?"

Beca frowned at that, thinking carefully before responding. "Chlo, I love making music. All this shit that comes with it... I'd give it up in a heartbeat. The money is nice, but I really only need a fraction of what I have. Some of my best memories were with my dad in our small shitty apartment. And how often do you see super rich people that are actually happy? They all look fucking miserable to me."

Chloe laughed, agreeing with her. "Guess it's true that money can't buy happiness."

"I was happy with you, you know. Before all of this," Beca gestured around the apartment, before correcting, "Well, that's not a good example."

"Hey! This apartment is great!" Chloe defended, poking her stomach.

Beca held her hands up, admitting defeat. "No, of course not... it's great! We made some really good memories here," she said, winking at her girlfriend. "Want to make some more?"

Chloe shook her head no. "I want to eat food. What'd you cook for dinner?"

"Nothing. I'm taking you out to celebrate," Beca answered, pulling Chloe closer for another kiss.

She leaned back suddenly, smirking at Chloe's disappointed sigh. "I almost forgot! The label wants me to record a single. I'm flying back to Nashville for two weeks to record Endlessly!"

The emotions flitted across Chloe's face as she took a minute to recognize the title, before breaking into a beaming smile. "My song?!"

Beca nodded, her grin wide. "Apparently someone posted it on YouTube and it's kinda a big deal, like me. BMR wants me to record and release it ASAP. I'm on board because I'd rather perform it at the Grammy's than Dancing On My Own for the millionth time."

"The whole world loves that song," Chloe replied, resigned to the fact.

"Yeah, but if I put out something new that people love more, they'll beg me to perform it instead," Beca countered. "It's a perfect plan."

Chloe laughed at her certainty, replying, "If you say so. The only perfect plan I'm interested in right now is where you're taking me to dinner."

Beca looked at her hopefully, waiting for Chloe to fill in the blank.

"Seriously? How many tacos can you eat before you're sick of Mexican food?" Chloe asked in disbelief.

Beca smirked. "You do not want to know the answer to that question."

* * *

Beca flopped down onto the couch in her hotel suite, twisting slightly to look over at Zeus. He was happily chewing on a bone in his doggy bed, having made the trip to LA for the Grammy's. She hated going anywhere without him, and asked Scotty find a hotel where he'd be welcome. Chloe had made the trip as well, and her parents were driving up that evening in time for the ceremony. Beca was currently alone, as Chloe was using the hotel room she'd gotten for her parents that evening to get ready.

A sudden knock on the door had Beca on her feet, grinning like an idiot as she rushed to open it, revealing her best friend.

"Stace!" Beca exclaimed, right before the leggy brunette crushed her in a hug.

They stumbled into the room, Beca closing the door when Stacie finally let her go. "Hey, superstar," Stacie said, before kneeling down to say hello to Zeus. "Hello, handsome. I missed you so much!"

"You two make an adorable couple," Beca said dryly, watching their interaction.

"Don't get all jealous, Mitchell," Stacie retorted, looking around while still rubbing Zeus' head. "Where's Chloe?"

Beca rolled her eyes, reclaiming her position on the couch. "She's getting ready in another room. Wants it to be a surprise, or something."

"Aww, so sweet," Stacie teased, ducking as Beca threw a throw pillow at her head. "Rude. Where are we getting ready?"

"Right here," Beca answered, looking around the living area of the suite. "Your dress is already here and my team should be here any minute to do hair and makeup."

Stacie dropped into a chair across from her to wait. "I'm ready to be beautified by your glam squad."

Beca scoffed at that statement, replying, "You're literally the hottest person I've ever known, without makeup."

"Aww, Becs! Chloe's turning you so mushy!" Stacie laughed. "I also doubt she'd like to hear you throwing compliments like that around so casually, even if they are true."

"My mistake," Beca corrected, rolling her eyes. "The hottest person I've ever known that I never wanted to sleep with."

Stacie faked a scandalized expression, pointing a finger at the brunette. "Take that back. You know you thought about it."

Beca shook her head no, refusing to admit it even when Stacie jumped up from the chair and pounced on top of her. "No way, you giant! Get off me... Zeus! Help!"

They both froze and looked around for the dog, only to find him laying in his bed. Zeus lifted his head for a moment to look at the two women, before he gave a long yawn and laid his head back down."

"Seriously?!" Beca shouted at him as Stacie resumed her attack, finally straddling her waist and claiming victory.

"You're so lucky I never challenged you to a wrestling match in the Conrad Ring," Stacie teased, pinning Beca's arms by her sides. "You're super puny and I would have dominated."

Beca huffed, trying unsuccessfully to free her arms. "That's because you're gigantic, and you can suffocate someone with your boobs alone."

Stacie grinned victoriously. "I knew you checked out my boobs."

"Kinda hard to miss when they're in my face all the damn time," Beca deadpanned, ceasing to struggle. "Can you get off me now?"

Before Stacie could answer, they heard the sound of a key card in the lock, the door swinging open seconds later. Chloe walked into the room in a bathrobe calling, "Baby, I forgot my..."

Beca sighed as Chloe trailed off whatever she was going to say when she viewed the scene in the room. Zeus hopped up to greet her, his tail wagging happily. Chloe patted his head, before turning her attention back to the pair on the couch.

"Hey, Chloe," Stacie greeted with a smile. "Looking for Beca?"

Chloe shook her head at the two of them, saying, "I don't even want to know. Hi Stacie. How was your flight?"

"Great," Stacie answered, like she wasn't pinning Beca to the couch. "How're you surviving living with this one?"

"I ask myself that daily," Chloe responds, heading into the bedroom. "Zeus helps," she called out, ruffling through some stuff before re-emerging with an unmarked bag.

Beca was thoroughly annoyed at this point, saying, "Are you seriously going to keep sitting on me?"

Stacie bounced lightly several times on her stomach, commenting, "Maybe, you're pretty comfortable."

"Chloe," Beca whined, looking at her girlfriend, who didn't seem the least bit interested in helping her.

Chloe ignored her plea, instead saying, "Your glam squad is in the hallway. I'll let them in on my way out. Also, your parents called and will swing by the hotel to pick up Stacie."

With that, the redhead exited the room, allowing Beca's team in to start setting up.

Stacie looked down at Beca, laughing as she said, "I think she likes me now."

Beca rolled her eyes, wriggling around for a moment until she was finally able to shove Stacie off of her. "She likes you, dude. She just didn't like you when she thought we were sleeping together."

"No, I know, but she wasn't even a little bit jealous I was basically dry humping you," Stacie reasoned, standing up and stretching her arms over her head.

"Well, I have a hard enough time keeping up with Chlo," Beca said, sitting up herself. "I can't even imagine trying to keep up with someone else. Also, we had hotel sex last night and this morning, so I'm pretty satisfied right now."

Stacie eyed her, asking, "Hotel sex?"

Beca smirked, answering, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"You're an idiot. Good to know you haven't changed," Stacie said, rolling her eyes before pulling Beca into another hug. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, dude."

* * *

"Holy shit!"

Beca looked down at herself, then back up at Stacie. "What?! Is it terrible?"

"Uh, no. I'm almost jealous of you right now," Stacie gushed, leaning forward slightly in her chair. "Where's your shirt?"

"I'm not wearing one," Beca answered, quickly moving to stand in front of a mirror, lightly testing the tape holding her jacket in place. She'd decided to forego a dress and instead chose a slim-fitting black suit and heels, minus the shirt for a more daring, sexier look.

Stacie watched her, commenting, "You look fucking hot. Does Chloe know?"

Beca shook her head. "Nope. She's not the only one who can pull off a surprise." She quickly ran her hands over her hair, smoothing out the soft waves before turning back to her best friend. "Ready?"

Stacie nodded, slipping her feet into her heels as she stood up. "Ready to go to the Grammy's and meet incredibly talented and famous musicians? Yeah, why not?"

Beca rolled her eyes at the way Stacie filled out her red dress, "You could literally be a Victoria's Secret model."

"I know! My boobs look amazing in this dress, right?" Stacie replied excitedly, her hands moving to push them up higher.

Beca turned away, huffing, "Yeah, okay, we get it. You're stunning and your boobs are huge. Stop groping yourself so we can go."

Stacie grabbed her clutch, her tone unfazed as she replied, "If you want to grope them, Becs, all you have to do is ask."

"Tough call, but I'll pass," Beca deadpanned.

"Your loss, Mitchell," Stacie said with a wink. "I can't believe I'm about to watch you win Grammy's! And perform! How does it feel to have all your dreams come true?" She asked seriously, pretending to be a reporter holding a microphone in front of Beca's face.

Beca rolled her eyes, shoving her hand away. "I haven't won anything yet. And as for performing, I'm still wrapping my head around that too."

Stacie moved toward the door, opening it to let Beca walk through first. "At least you get to perform Endlessly. Though it's so overplayed on the radio... it comes on every ten minutes around campus."

"Good, I get paid for that," Beca laughed, stepping into the hallway. "And you have no idea how happy I am that the single took off. It was only released three weeks ago, and despite the instant popularity, it was a fight to get to perform it tonight. It was hell getting it done so fast, but the label pushed like crazy to capitalize on the obsession with that YouTube video."

"I get it," Stacie reasoned, walking down the hallway beside her. "They're not making any money off that video."

Beca nodded, walking the last few steps and knocked on the door. She glanced nervously at her best friend, asking, "I look okay, right? You weren't just fucking with me?"

The door swung open before Stacie could answer, and Beca was struck speechless at the sight of Chloe in a gorgeous black and silver dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways. She swallowed hard as her eyes were drawn to the slit in the dress revealing far too much of Chloe's leg, and deep V-neck that put a generous amount of cleavage on display. "Fuck," she breathed, oblivious to the fact that Chloe stood frozen, looking her up and down as well.

They could have been standing there for hours until Stacie jarred them back into reality. "You two are nauseatingly adorable. But I'm afraid there's no way I'm missing the Grammy's because my best friend can't exercise a little self control. You can rip each other's clothes off later," Stacie said as she forcefully steered Beca toward the elevator. "Chloe, move! Her ass looks just as good as the front!" The brunette called over her shoulder.

Beca pulled away from her best friend when they reached the elevator, turning to face her girlfriend. "You look stunning."

Chloe's eyes immediately dropped to her chest. She ran a finger down from Beca's neck, asking curiously, "Where's your shirt?"

"It was too expensive," Beca joked breathlessly, taking a step closer to the redhead. She looked down Chloe's body again, saying, "I shouldn't have worried so much about what I was gonna wear. No one will be paying me any attention with you standing beside me."

"Full of compliments tonight, Mitchell," Chloe replied. "Are you nervous?"

Beca laughed awkwardly, answering, "No... it's just the Grammy's. Why would I be nervous about that? It's not like anyone important will be there."

* * *

Beca took a deep breath as Isaac pulled up to the Staples Center, wondering if Chloe could hear her heart thumping in her chest. It was nearly impossible for her to relax and stay calm, despite Chloe steadily holding her hand throughout the trip. Isaac put the car in park, spinning around to give her a smile.

"You'll be great, Becs," he said confidently. "You belong here."

Beca nodded and gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, I know. Just my dreams becoming reality... it's totally fine. I'm fine."

Chloe turned her and looked square in her eyes. "Beca, you are an amazingly talented artist, and you deserve every single one of those nominations. And even if you don't win anything tonight, even if your performance goes wrong in every possible way, no matter what happens, I'll be right here at the end of the night."

"But it'll be fine, right?" Beca asks, as Isaac rounded the car.

Chloe winked at her, answering, "It's going to be the best night of your life."

Beca nodded again, feeling confident that even if the whole night went to shit, she would still be living her dream with the most amazing woman ever. "Now or never," she mumbled as Isaac opened the door, taking his offered hand and stepped out of the car.

The flashbulbs went off immediately, and she pasted her usual smile on while giving a small wave. She turned as Isaac helped Chloe out of the car, moving to her side and holding her hand. "Together?" She asked softly, leaning close to the redhead's ear.

"Together," Chloe affirmed, gripping her hand tightly.

Beca felt Chloe's smile, and pulled back to catch a glimpse of it before waving again at all the fans. They moved slowly up the red carpet, pausing for pictures and the occasional interview, Chloe never leaving her side except for a few solo shots of her in her suit.

It was quite the experience, but Beca felt the nerves melting away the more people raved about her outfit, about how adorable a couple they were, and how excited everyone was for her performance. Unlike in New York, the rehearsals for the show had gone perfectly, and Beca felt confident about her choices in lighting and setup. It was a little different from what she normally did, but this was the Grammy's after all, and Scotty had instructed her to "go big or go home."

They eventually found their seats, hugging Scotty who was directly behind them along with Joey and a small team from BMR. Beca reached over and laced her fingers with Chloe's as the show started, the anticipation starting to get to her as James Corden began his intro. As insane as it was, she might be a Grammy winner by the end of the night.

* * *

An hour and a half into the night, and Beca was zero for two. She'd lost Best Pop Solo Performance to Ed Sheeran, and her album, Look Up, had fallen short to Taylor Swift. Despite the double letdown, Beca was really enjoying herself. Sure, she'd hoped to win, but the experience was more than making up for any disappointment, and having Chloe singing and dancing along beside her was the cherry on top. Beca was now completely certain that it was impossible to have a bad night when a happy, excitable Chloe Beale was your date.

Beca was distracted looking around the arena for a moment when Chloe grabbed her hand, squeezing tightly.

"What's wrong?" Beca asked, snapping around to look at her girlfriend.

Chloe looked at her curiously, answering, "Bec, they're announcing your next category!"

She looked up at the stage and sure enough, two presenters she eventually recognized as actresses from one of those vampire shows were spinning around to look at the screen announcing the nominees for Best New Artist. Beca felt her stomach tighten as her face flashed across the screens for the third time that night, nervously smiling since there was a live camera somewhere focused in on her face, wondering if she was really going home empty handed.

"And the Grammy for Best New Artist goes to... Beca Mitchell!"

Sheer joy was the only thing she could feel as Chloe shrieked beside her, standing up and pulling her into a tight hug. Beca broke into a wide smile as her girlfriend whispered in her ear, "I told you. Best night of your life. I love you."

"Love you too," she whispered back, kissing her cheek before spinning around to give Scotty a hug.

"Congrats, Bec," he said happily, stepping aside so she could hug Joey and the other reps from BMR who'd worked with her on the album.

"This is crazy," she said to the group, before carefully making her way on stage to accept the small trophy. The lights were incredibly bright, but it wasn't very different from the large crowds and stadiums on her tour, and she forced herself to relax and remember what she wanted to say.

Beca stepped up to the microphone and spoke quickly, knowing she didn't have a ton of time. "Wow, this is crazy. I want to thank everyone at Big Machine for all their help and support on this album. Thank you to my fans who stuck by me and kept me going when I had doubts."

She paused briefly, before continuing, "This Grammy is for my family. My mom, who passed away when I was young, but always believed someday I'd be standing on this stage. My dad, who raised me and has been there through everything. And Sheila, who always loved me like I was her own, and has had my back from day one. I love you guys!"

Beca smiled and backed away from the microphone, making her way backstage. Scotty appeared in front of her, grinning like an idiot.

"Holy shit," Beca said, looking at her manager. "I just won a Grammy. A fucking Grammy!"

Scotty nodded, the smile never leaving his face. A reporter and a cameraman approached them, shoving a microphone in front of her face, asking, "Is there anyone else you want to thank who you missed?"

Beca looked blankly at Scotty, who in return seemed as clueless as she was. "Uh, I guess again just everyone at BMR who worked on the album with me. And my band, who's performing with me later tonight for all their support. Oh! And Gail, for listening to my demo and deciding I was worth fighting for," she added at the last second, smiling at the thought of the woman.

As quickly as they arrived, they were gone, and another crew member approached the pair, saying, "I'll take that trophy now, Ms. Mitchell. You'll get your engraved one in a few months."

Beca nodded dumbly and handed over the trophy, deciding to just go with the flow. Scotty didn't let her stay still for long, gently turning her in the direction of the dressing area.

"Well, don't just stand there, Grammy winner," he teased. "Go get changed. You're performing in fifteen minutes."

Beca shook her head, still trying to process the fact that she'd won a fucking Grammy, and started off backstage.

* * *

After another mini freak out over her Grammy with her band, Beca suddenly found herself seated at a beautiful Baldwin piano in the pitch black on the stage. Her deep blue dress fanned out around her. The wardrobe change had not been easy, but here she was ready to perform her new single at the Grammy's. Having her band behind her settled her nerves, the familiarity of the situation bringing a calming effect over the whole group.

She heard her name announced and her little area was shrouded in a soft glow. The space above her was decorated with miniature lights to look like a starry night sky. She'd purposely changed the arrangement for this performance, wanting a slightly more intimate feeling than the one she usually created in her shows on tour.

Beca began playing the intro on the piano, the rest of the stage remaining dark. She loved this song and believed it might be her best one yet.

_There's a shop down the street_

_Where they sell plastic rings_

_For a quarter a piece, I swear it_

_Yeah, I know that it's cheap_

_Not like gold in your dreams_

_But I hope that you'll still wear it_

She couldn't help but think of Chloe when she sang this song, excited about the day when they were engaged. She'd never offer the redhead a plastic ring, but also knew that Chloe would say yes no matter what, even if there was no ring at all. What they had was special and they both recognized it from the beginning. Beca was confident they could get through anything after what they've been through already.

_Yeah, the ink may stain my skin_

_And my jeans may all be ripped_

_I'm not perfect, but I swear I'm perfect for you_

She went smoothly into the chorus, her band still silent behind her. Beca actually loved how it sounded acoustically with just the piano, but wanted the performance to build, like the way her relationship with Chloe had built and grown stronger over time.

More lights came on as she started the second verse, keeping the starry night theme, but now allowing her band to be visible as they joined her. Glancing around at them, she was glad she decided to include them. There was no way she would have wanted to experience this moment without them, especially after they'd grown so close on the tour.

She sang the second verse, resisting the urge to look out into the crowd where she knew Chloe was sitting. It would be difficult to see her from her place behind the piano but not impossible. Instead, she focused on the song, the moment, and the keys under her fingers. Performing at the Grammy's was a once in a lifetime experience and she didn't want to take it for granted. She did allow herself a small moment to think of her mom, wondering if she was watching her.

_And there's no guarantee_

_That this will be easy_

_It's not a miracle you need, believe me_

_Yeah I'm no angel, I'm just me_

_But I will love you endlessly_

_Wings aren't what you need, you need me_

Beca finished out the song alone on the piano, the way she started, as her band faded out along with the lights illuminating them. Upon playing the final notes, she gave a smile and wave to the crowd giving her a standing ovation, and blew a kiss in Chloe's general direction. The lights came all the way back on and she turned and applauded her band, thanking them over the roar hoping they could read her lips.

As they were ushered off stage during the commercial break, Beca couldn't help but think about how right Chloe had been. This was definitely the best night of her life.

* * *

Back in her suit, Beca leaned back slightly in her chair, smiling happily at Chloe as she rejoined their hands. She was feeling much calmer and more relaxed as her fifth and final category was announced, now with two Grammy wins under her belt. After her performance she'd won Song of the Year with Say You're Mine, which wasn't exactly a surprise but it wasn't a given either. Beca didn't expect to win this one, as her remixed track was just one of many, even though it had steadily gained popularity since she released it.

Chloe leaned over and kissed her cheek, whispering, "You deserve this babe. I'm so happy for you."

"Couldn't have done it without you, Chlo," she whispered back, giving her hand a squeeze.

They both looked to the stage as the video playing the nominees ended.

"And the Grammy for Best Remixed Recording goes to... Promises! Beca Mitchell!"

Beca knew the shock was evident on her face as she stood up and hugged Chloe for the third time that night, knowing immediately what a huge deal this award was. Chloe kissed her lips, before stepping back and letting Scotty get his hug.

"You know what this means, right?" He asked, extending the hug. "They'll be lining up to work with you."

Beca pulled back, saying, "Let's hope so," before walking up the steps toward her third Grammy of the evening. She hugged the two presenters and accepted the small trophy with a profound feeling of deja vu.

"I didn't expect to win one of these tonight, let alone three," she started, earning some laughs from the crowd. "Thanks again to everyone at BMR, and of course, to the fans who make this night possible for all of us. Chloe, your love and support means everything to me. I couldn't do any of this without you, babe. I love you."

Beca grinned and blew her gorgeous girlfriend a kiss to loud applause, noticing all the signs of tears welling up behind her eyes. She was ushered backstage for the third time, although this time no camera crew approached her, instead just a single person to retrieve the blank award. Handing it over, she returned to her seat to be engulfed in a hug and kissed thoroughly, her hands gripping Chloe's hips as her knees went weak.

"Whoa," she murmured, pulling back a fraction. "I wasn't gone for that long."

"I love you so much," Chloe whispered, tugging her down into their seats before kissing her gain.

All the emotions of the night were becoming overpowering, especially when Chloe was doing things like that with her tongue. Beca pulled back again, whispering in her ear, "If you keep that up I can't be held responsible for what happens in this giant arena on national television."

Chloe smirked, her hand settling dangerously high up Beca's thigh and placed a kiss below her ear. "I've been thinking about fucking you ever since I saw you in that suit. It was all I could do not to strip it off you in that doorway."

Beca shuddered at the imagery. Chloe was playing dirty, knowing that her cursing was a big turn on for the brunette. "It's our first Grammy's, do you really want to skip the after party?" Beca asked, knowing she would if Chloe wanted to head straight to the hotel.

"No, baby, it's your night," Chloe answered proudly, as Kendrick Lamar won for Best Rap Album. "We're definitely going to the party and celebrating with your family. I just want you to know exactly what's going to happen later," she finished, her fingertips moving a shade higher up the inside of Beca's thigh before vanishing just as quickly.

Beca sucked in a breath, clapping as the rapper accepted his award, wondering if the night could get any better.

* * *

After what seemed like hours of photographs and interviews, Beca finally escaped to the after party and found Chloe who had tracked down her family.

Ben saw her first, breaking away from the group to wrap her in a gigantic hug. "Becs! I'm so proud of you! Congratulations, you deserve every one of those awards."

Sheila joined them, not breaking with family tradition. "You did good, kid. And your performance was just perfect."

Beca hugged them both tightly, feeling overwhelmed all of a sudden. "Thanks you guys," she sniffed, trying not to cry. "I wouldn't be here without you."

Sheila wiped a few tears away, pulling away from Ben to hug her tightly. "You're a little asshole for making me cry, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know," Beca answered, hugging her back. "But I meant what I said."

"I know, and you'll always be my kid too, okay?" Sheila whispered in her ear. "I'm the luckiest ever and nothing will change either of those facts. I love you."

"Love you too," Beca mumbled, pulling away to look sheepishly at her dad. "So, I guess I'm okay at this after all?"

Ben laughed, shaking his head. "You're awful at this. You should quit now and go to college before you become truly embarrassing. Jesus, you could only win three Grammy's..."

Stacie butted in, pulling Beca's face directly into her cleavage as she bear-hugged the shorter brunette. "Congrats! I always knew you'd be a superstar."

Beca pulled away, glaring at her friend as Chloe watched with an amused expression. "Seriously! Stop trying to kill me with your boobs! But thanks."

Scotty and Joey arrived with drinks for everyone, including water for Beca and Stacie. Greetings and hugs were exchanged all around as the group celebrated a fantastic night for Beca and the label.

True to form, there was music and dancing and more celebrities than Beca could keep track of. A few reporters made it into the party, and Beca maintained a positive attitude each time she was pulled away from her family to answer a few questions.

Eventually she found herself pressed tight against Chloe's back, hands on the redhead's hips while she moved to the music. Chloe had a few drinks and was tipsy but not drunk. Beca's parents had called it a night earlier, while Stacie was not wasting any time off the dance floor that evening, currently dancing smoothly with Usher.

Stacie mouthed the man's name at her when they made eye contact, wearing an expression between disbelief and joy.

Chloe chuckled at that along with her before spinning in her arms. Beca felt the pull low in her stomach as Chloe's body pressed tighter, feeling every curve in that killer dress. The redhead leaned in and kissed below her ear.

"Having fun, baby?" Chloe asked, grinding less than subtly into her.

Beca clenched her teeth, her hands gripping Chloe's hips. "You were right, this has been the best night of my life," she said, dropping her lips to place a kiss on Chloe's bare shoulder.

Chloe took her hand, stepping back to let Beca see the promise in her eyes as she led her toward the exit.

"It's not over yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A million thanks to my beta, Arsto, who continues to educate me on all things music! This story wouldn't be half as good without your ideas and input.
> 
> Thanks to everyone out there who continues to read and leave me awesome reviews/comments. I read all those requests and definitely take them into account when I'm planning out future chapters, so let me know if there are specific interactions you'd like to see.
> 
> For those who want more from Chloe's POV, it's coming next!
> 
> For those who want more angst/tracks from Beca's sad album, you're all depressing but I'll see what I can do ;-).
> 
> Cheers!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekly post? CHECK!

* * *

 "Hurry."

Beca swallowed hard at the way Chloe's lips were moving over her neck, fumbling with the keycard to the hotel suite.

"I'm trying," she mumbled, shivering as the redhead found that sweet spot on her neck.

She got it on the fourth try, feeling a bit more understanding at the memory of Chloe barely being able to open her apartment when their positions were reversed. They stumbled inside, Chloe's hands never leaving her body. Beca hadn't seen the redhead like this in a while, completely desperate for her touch.

Chloe pushed her back against the wall, connecting their lips in a fierce kiss. Beca immediately granted her tongue access, already deciding to let the redhead take charge tonight. Chloe's determination and forwardness was one of the things Beca loved most about her, especially when it came to sex. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing sexier than Chloe taking charge in the bedroom.

Beca let her head fall back against the wall as Chloe's lips moved down the column of her throat to her chest.

"I've been thinking about taking this suit off you all night," Chloe said, undoing the single button in her jacket, the halves barely staying closed due to the tape on the inside.

Beca looked down to meet her eyes, finding them dark with lust. "What are you waiting for?" she challenged, her voice low and rough.

Chloe didn't bother with a response, her hands easing inside the jacket halves and separating them gently from her skin until she could slide it off her shoulders.

Beca never heard it hit the floor as Chloe kissed her again, pressing her back against the wall. She swore when Chloe's hands cupped her breasts and a thigh pressed between her legs, already feeling too hot for her skin.

"Bedroom," she gasped, leaning back for air.

They made it a few more steps into the living area before Beca's grip on Chloe's hand tightened, spinning the redhead back around into another kiss. She needed Chloe's lips on hers, growing too impatient at the separation.

Beca smirked as Chloe's hands went to her pants, knocking them away as she guided her around and unzipped her dress. She eased the straps off Chloe's shoulders until the fabric pooled at her feet, and Beca couldn't resist placing kisses along the base of her neck. Chloe leaned back into her and Beca let her hands wander, moving them over the redhead's toned stomach and up higher until they hit her strapless bra.

"Bec," Chloe breathed, her hand reaching back into Beca's hair as her chest pushed forward, eager for her touch.

Beca complied, quickly removing the fabric and replacing it with her hands to a chorus of moans. Beca teased her thumbs over the stiffening peaks, enjoying the way Chloe's body responded to her touch.

Chloe quickly spun around, kissing her hard. They stumbled a few more feet toward the bedroom before Chloe's hands returned to her pants. Beca quickly kicked her heels off, knowing she'd probably have to search for them in the morning. She ran her eyes down Chloe's body, a white lace thong the only article of clothing remaining.

"You're so beautiful," Beca whispered, pulling her in for another kiss even as her pants dropped to her feet.

She stepped out of them as they made it the last few feet to the bedroom, collapsing in a pile of tangled limbs on the king-size mattress sending pillows flying. Chloe rolled on top of her, fusing their lips back together as she sensually ground her hips down.

Beca moaned at the contact, silently cursing the two barriers still between them.

Chloe moved to her breasts, nipping at her nipple before soothing the pain with her tongue.

"Chlo," Beca pleaded, needing more.

Chloe ignored her, moving to her other breast to give it the same treatment. Beca felt like she was going to explode and Chloe had barely touched her. The redhead was taking her time worshipping Beca's body, reducing her to a squirming mess.

Beca almost cried with relief at the first press of fingertips to her clit, even if it was through her thong. She rolled her hips into the touch, ignoring the resulting grin on Chloe's face.

"Feel good, baby?" Chloe teased, slipping her fingertips under the lace to feel how wet the brunette was.

"Yea… Fuck," Beca swore as a finger, then two found their way inside her. Chloe kept the pace frustratingly slow, suddenly seeming to have all the time in the world. The frantic pace that began the night disappeared, and the look on the redheads face let Beca know she was in for a long night of pleasure.

Chloe's other hand removed her thong, giving her more room to work. She shifted on top of Beca to kiss her slowly, her hips setting the pace.

Beca forced herself to focus for a second, her hand moving into Chloe's hair as her hips thrust up faster. Chloe felt so good pressed against her, and her thumb was working magic against her clit. From the first minute she saw Chloe in that dress, the whole night had been foreplay leading up to this moment.

Beca recognized the fire in Chloe's eyes a split second before she came crashing down, surprising herself with how quickly it happened. Chloe didn't stop though, moving down her body to press her mouth to Beca.

"Chlo," Beca gasped weakly, the pleasure building again. Her head was swimming as her body responded, her hips already thrusting against Chloe's mouth.

"Come for me, baby," Chloe said, the vibrations sending sparks through her nerves.

It happened before she realized, her fingers tangled back in red hair and called Chloe's name again as her second orgasm hit her. Chloe's tongue eased up on her clit, her fingers gently helping her come down.

Beca weakly pushed her head away, grabbing at her hand to pull her girlfriend back up her body. Chloe moved with her, leaning down to kiss her firmly, letting Beca taste herself on the redhead's lips.

"I love you so much," Beca mumbled, flipping their positions and settling between Chloe's legs.

Chloe smiled up at her, answering, "I love you, and I'm so proud of you. Three-time Grammy winner."

Beca shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around the night's events. She was pulled from her thoughts as Chloe shifted beneath her, bringing a smirk to her face.

"You okay, babe?" she teased, letting her hips drop down to rub against her girlfriend.

Chloe whimpered at the contact. "I've been turned on since the moment I saw you tonight…. want to do something about that?"

Beca sat back on her heels, pretending to think about it. "And if I said no?" she teased, having no intention of leaving Chloe hanging.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, answering coolly, "Then I'll just have to take care of it myself."

Beca's eyes widened as Chloe's hand moved down her stomach, before slipping under the white lace. She looked up at her girlfriend's face just in time to see her sigh, eyes closed as her fingers settled where she wanted them.

"Fuck," Beca breathed at the intimate action, and how unbelievably sexy it was to watch the pleasure play across Chloe's face. She couldn't decide where to look, finally focusing in on Chloe's fingers moving in a steady rhythm.

Beca ran her hands up Chloe's thighs until she reached the lace, pulling it down her girlfriend's long legs and tossed it to the floor. Chloe was flushed now, moaning softly as she teased herself, and Beca couldn't resist touching her.

Beca leaned down and kissed the inside of her thigh, shifting higher when Chloe immediately parted her legs to allow them both more room. Beca had no intention of letting Chloe go unattended, kissing her way higher until she had an up close and personal view of exactly how skilled Chloe was with her fingers.

She eased a finger inside Chloe, the resulting moan letting her know her help was welcome. A second finger soon joined the first, and Chloe slid a little further down the bed. Beca pressed another kiss to the inside of her thigh, picking up the pace to match Chloe's fingers on her clit. Making up her mind, she nosed Chloe's hand out of the way, taking the swollen flesh between her lips.

Chloe moaned loudly as Beca hummed against her, her hips rocking faster until she fell over the edge with a loud cry of Beca's name. She fell back limp against the bed, and Beca moved up instantly to wrap her arms around her, pressing kisses to her shoulder.

Chloe curled into her embrace, kissing her gently. "So, best night of your life?"

Beca smiled, thinking back over everything that had happened. "Definitely."

* * *

_(CHLOE'S POV)_

Chloe had never been happier for her planning period, giving the last few stragglers a stare as she pointed them to the door. To say her students were acting differently after Beca won big at the Grammy's was a massive understatement. For the past month they'd hounded her, hoping for a small view into Beca's life. She was proud of the brunette for inspiring such a loyal fan base, but wished it wasn't such a distraction in her classroom.

"Miss Beale?" A boy's voice sounded from the doorway.

She snapped her head up to see Steven, one of her students looking hopefully at her. "Steven Robertson, if this question isn't about Biology it can wait until after school," she said evenly, rolling her eyes at the way he vanished from her room.

She hated having to be firm with them, but she also needed to make good use of her planning period. A ding from her computer distracted her again, and she spun to her left to see a new email from Beca. She opened it to see three more links to real estate listings, smiling to herself at how domestic and organized her girlfriend was being with their search. The apartment was definitely cramped, and as much as it would pain Chloe to leave it behind, she knew it was necessary. The fact that Beca was beyond sexy when she was talking about their future house didn't hurt either.

After several conversations, Beca had convinced her that buying a house was the way to go. Something along the lines of privacy and a yard for Zeus and a bedroom for their kid had her swooning in agreement. Even more so, Beca had insisted on buying something small, only three or four bedrooms. When Chloe had asked her why, the brunette shrugged and said, "We don't really need more than that, do we?"

Her heart swelled at the reasonable response, proof once more that Beca wasn't letting any of her success go to her head. Beca had been sending her links to different properties in the area, being mindful that the locations were close to Barden for her commute. Chloe loved most of the ones she sent over, intrigued that they weren't boring new constructions, but usually older homes with a lot of character and originality.

A knock sounded at her door before she could open the first link, and Chloe huffed at the intruder, "Yes?"

"Geez, rough day?" Aubrey poked her head into the room tentatively, stepping inside as Chloe's demeanor changed immediately.

"Sorry, Bree," Chloe said apologetically. "The kids have been a little more... aggressive since the Grammy's."

Aubrey nodded understandingly. "Well, you are dating a celebrity. I suppose it's only natural for them to be curious."

Chloe rolled her eyes, replying, "Curious, I get. But they're borderline stalking me around the school. Did you know last week I had ten of them get detention on purpose just so they could grill me about Beca?"

Aubrey laughed at that, saying, "I'm not surprised. What did they want to know?"

"Anything... everything," Chloe answered. "What's Beca's favorite hobby? What do you guys do for fun? Is she nice or really a diva? Does she really write all her songs?" Chloe mimicked a few of the questions. "The girls were curious where she shops and if she was coming back to visit anytime soon. The boys were a little more shy about it, but Jeffrey Benson shamelessly handed me a rolled up poster and asked if I could get Beca to sign it," she finished with a laugh, remembering the slight blush that appeared on the boy's cheeks when she returned it to him the following day.

"I like Jeff," Aubrey commented, recognizing the boy's name. "He's quiet in my class, but always hands in excellent work." She paused for a moment, before saying casually, "Dr. Williams told me a week or so ago that Barden has been flooded with applications for both new students and transfer ones. Apparently, all the local kids want to go to school where Beca Mitchell did."

"You seem to have warmed up to her," Chloe said with a grin, eyeing the positive look on her friend's face.

"She's very talented," Aubrey said begrudgingly. "Her music is catchy, and Jesse plays it all the damn time. He might be her biggest fan," she finished with an eye roll.

Chloe reached out and lightly smacked her arm, saying, "Hey! I'm her biggest fan. But, Jesse did believe in her when most people didn't. I can see why he's thrilled for her."

Aubrey sighed, knowing Chloe was right. "I know she hasn't had the easiest life, and that she makes you happy. That's all I need to know, Chlo. As long as she makes you happy, then I'm happy for both of you."

"Aww, thanks Bree!" Chloe said happily.

Aubrey smiled and shook her head at Chloe's reaction. "Hey, are you guys free Saturday? Jesse wants to have a game night."

Chloe thought for a moment, before shaking her head regretfully. "Raincheck. Beca and I have tickets to the P!nk concert that I got her for Christmas. She's been looking forward to it for months."

Before Aubrey could answer, they heard a voice out in the hall say, "Oh my God! Beca's gonna be at the P!nk concert this weekend!"

Chloe's eyes narrowed, focused in on her door. "Seriously? This is out of control."

To her surprise, Aubrey rose out of her chair first, signaling Chloe to stay seated. She watched curiously as the blonde entered into the hallway and angrily scattered the students away from Chloe's open door. The words "Miss Beale" and "Privacy" and "Detention" were clearly heard before Aubrey re-entered the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

"You may have some extra company at the concert this weekend," the blonde joked with a smile and a shake of her head.

Chloe sighed, "I'm sure we will. I get that they're excited, but it's becoming a major distraction in my class. I've given out more detentions the past month than my entire first two years combined."

Aubrey replied, "Can you imagine how much worse it will be when they find out Beca's agreed to help out with the choir and perform at the spring concert?"

Chloe's head snapped up to look at her friend. "She what?"

"Uh, I'm sorry Chlo, I thought you knew," Aubrey said slowly, sitting back down in her chair. "She told Jesse she'd do it a few days ago."

"No, she didn't tell me," Chloe retorted, wondering why Beca would keep something like that from her. "Do you mind?" She asked timidly, picking up her phone and hoping Aubrey would get the hint.

Aubrey nodded, quickly jumping to her feet. "Yeah, of course. I'll see you at lunch."

Chloe waited until Aubrey left the room before dialing Beca's number, knowing that she was taking a break from work for a while and should be free.

 _"Hey babe!"_ Beca's voice came happily through the phone.

Chloe didn't wait, asking immediately, "Are you helping the choir with their spring concert?"

There were a few moments of silence, before Beca answered sheepishly, _"Maybe? Is that okay? Jesse asked, and I was going to tell you, but you haven't wanted to talk about school lately so I hadn't yet."_

"It's fine, I just don't understand why you wouldn't tell me," Chloe replied, her tone light, more curious than anything. "Did you think you could keep it a secret?"

 _"Oh yeah, definitely."_ Beca's sarcastic reply had her grinning widely. _"There are only like a hundred kids in the choir, Chlo. I'm sure none of them would have said anything, or any other random student who sees me on campus over the next month."_

Chloe laughed, knowing how true Beca's words were. A bell rang out, letting her know she had five minutes before her next class came in. "Ugh, sorry baby, you know what that sounds means."

 _"That you should hurry up and tell me what you're wearing before your next class arrives?"_ Beca asked hopefully.

Chloe's breath hitched, marveling that Beca could push her buttons so easily. Not giving in so easily, she lowered her voice, replying, "Something you can take off me when I get home."

She grinned at Beca's groan on the other end before her door opened and a few students piled in, causing her to say quickly, "Gotta go. Love you," and hang up.

Chloe gathered her plans for the lesson on her desk, glancing at her computer screen to see she hadn't looked at any of the listings Beca had sent her. Oh well, it would have to wait until later. The final bell rang, signaling the start of class, and she strolled out from behind her desk to look out at the class of freshmen.

Just before she began speaking, her eyes narrowed, realizing there were too many faces looking back at her. Chloe leveled a stare at the hopeful faces gathered in the back of the room, pointing at the door as she said, "This is Biology, not ask Miss Beale a million questions about her personal life. Get out of here and go to class ladies."

She watched the trio of girls in the back regretfully leave the room with a shake of her head, turning back to face her class as the door closed behind them.

* * *

"Like what you see, babe?"

Chloe immediately turned her head to look around at the crowd, the cockiness in Beca's voice only creating more butterflies in her stomach. "No."

Beca chuckled, shifting slightly on their shared blanket. "Okay."

Chloe was lying, and she knew Beca could tell. It wasn't her fault that her girlfriend grabbed Chloe's favorite snapback on her way out the door, and now she couldn't focus on anything else. The brunette claimed it was to help keep a low profile, at least that's what she thinks Beca said as she pulled the brim low over her eyes. It hadn't mattered though; Beca had been recognized about ten steps into the venue. She'd handled it in stride, signing a couple autographs before gently reminding the group of girls she was just here to enjoy the show.

They'd escaped and Beca had maintained relative anonymity through the two opening acts. Chloe could feel the relief coming off her in waves. She knew Beca was an extremely private person, and the ability to go out and blend in with the crowd was something the brunette craved.

Chloe had been sneaking glances at her since they'd left the apartment, unable to look away for more than a minute or two. Beca was just sexy, oozing that quiet confidence that bordered on cockiness that made her want to knock her down a peg or two... or spend the evening getting twisted in the sheets until they were both gasping for breath.

They were currently stretched out on a blanket as the sun fell lower in the sky, waiting for P!nk to take the stage. Chloe let her eyes wander over the stage, before eventually coming to rest on the side of Beca's face. The hat was still low over her eyes, making them look darker than usual, and her hair was currently tucked behind her ear, showing off the piercings she loved so much.

"You're so obvious, Beale," Beca said, without taking her eyes off the stage. She finally turned slightly to the side, leaning back a little on her arms and gave Chloe a knowing grin.

Chloe scooted closer to her, slipping an arm around her waist. "Take a selfie with me," she said, grabbing her phone in her other hand.

Beca rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Are we in middle school? If you pull out a selfie stick I'm going to beat you with it."

"We don't take enough pictures, Becs! And you're always so grumpy looking in the ones you do take. How will people know how much you love me?" Chloe teased, pulling the phone up and snapping a picture.

Upon review, Beca's expression confirmed that taking selfies was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Your resting bitch face is ridiculous," Chloe commented, saving the photo anyways and pressed herself back into Beca's side.

"It's my greatest asset," Beca retorted, turning her head to nuzzle Chloe's neck.

Chloe felt her pulse race at the action, mumbling, "I beg to differ."

Beca sighed, sitting up a little to rest her head on Chloe's shoulder, looking up at spot where the phone had been a second ago. "Do it before I change my mind."

Chloe grinned and held the phone up, deciding not to reply to Beca's last comment. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, and all. She snapped the picture, turning and pressing her lips to Beca's before she could move and quickly took another, drawing a squeak of surprise from her girlfriend.

Beca pulled away at first, moving the brim of her hat up before leaning back in and kissing her firmly. Chloe felt a hand slide over her stomach to her hip, gently pulling her closer. She ended the kiss before it could get too heated, a loud cheer reminding them they were in public. They looked aorund to see the lights dimming onstage, signaling that P!nk was about to begin.

"Thanks for the tickets, babe," Beca said softly, still pressed comfortably to Chloe's side.

Chloe sighed as she felt Beca's lips hit her cheek. "You're welcome."

Beca shifted away from her, and Chloe frowned at the loss of contact until the brunette got situated behind her, giving her something to lean against. Beca's arms circled around her, hands coming to rest on her thighs. Chloe leaned back gratefully, her hand running idly along one of Beca's legs.

"You know," Beca's voice was low in her ear and her hand teased a little higher up the inside of her thigh, under her dress. "We could make much better use of this position."

Chloe breathed out at the sensations, trying to focus on anything but how dextrous Beca's fingers were. "Beca," she warned, thankful when the hand retreated to a safer spot by her knee.

"Yes, Miss Beale," Beca whispered, making her shiver all over again.

A loud squeal from about ten feet away broke the moment.

"Oh my God! It's her! We found them!"

Chloe found the source of the voice, immediately recognizing a group of her students.

"Hey Miss Beale! Hi Beca!"

Chloe instantly pulled away from Beca's arms, shifting to the side before standing up. "Hi, ladies," she said with a friendly smile. "How are you tonight?"

The reply was some kind of coordinated shout of either "awesome" or "great" or a happy squeal that wasn't a word at all. Chloe couldn't keep up with their enthusiasm, noticing that Beca had finally gotten to her feet and plastered on somewhat of a smile.

One of her freshman students asked shyly, "Beca, can I have your autograph?"

Chloe watched her face carefully, but she didn't flinch. "Yeah, of course."

That simple act emboldened the rest of the group, who also wanted autographs. It didn't take long for Beca to sign all of their all of their t-shirts, which left them feeling confident enough to start peppering her with questions.

"Beca, when is your next tour?!"

"Endlessly is my favorite song ever!"

"You and Miss Beale are so cute together! Can you come visit us at school?"

Beca glanced at her, clearly starting to become overwhelmed at the scene they were making and glanced pointedly around as more and more people started to look in their direction. Chloe stepped in, clapping her hands to get their attention.

"Okay, ladies. I think the show is about to begin. Time to go find a seat," she said in her teacher voice, letting them know it was time to leave. As they began to look around for a place to sit beside them, Chloe said firmly, "Not here. Teachers need time away from school just like you guys do, okay?"

To her relief, they nodded, and disappeared into the crowd. She turned back to Beca, looking at her apologetically. "Sorry about that."

Beca waved it away, stepping closer and pulling her into a hug. "Don't apologize, Chlo. They're your students and they're excited for you... or us... or just to see me," she teased, and Chloe poked her in the side. "It's getting dark now. We're just two more people watching the concert."

Chloe smiled, watching her sit back down on the blanket and spread her legs, patting between them with an expectant look. She kneeled down between them instead and moved her hands up to hold Beca's cheeks, giving her a long, slow kiss. Beca's lips parted at the press of her tongue, allowing her access. Beca made a disappointed noise when she finally pulled back, her hands coming up to grab Chloe's wrists and pull her back in again. Chloe indulged her for a few more seconds, before pulling back enough to take a breath, their foreheads lightly touching.

"You're so beautiful," Beca whispered, the honesty and raw emotion hitting Chloe hard.

She let their lips touch again, thankfully muffling her shriek when Beca laid back on the blanket, pulling her along for the ride. Chloe ended up straddling Beca's leg, making out like a couple of teenagers on the small blanket for a few minutes. She pulled back in surprise as Beca bent her leg, allowing her thigh to press intimately against Chloe through the thin material of her dress.

Chloe hesitated for a minute, Beca's raised eyebrow and deadly smirk challenging her not to back down. She looked around, deciding it wasn't quite dark enough to really get away with and reluctantly sat back on her heels with a shake of her head. Beca sighed, running her fingers through her hair and looked around for her hat, which had gotten knocked off at some point. Soon, they had resumed their positions from earlier with Chloe using Beca as a makeshift chair, their hands tangled together over Chloe's stomach and Beca's chin perched happily on Chloe's shoulder.

They enjoyed the concert. Chloe was amused at the way Beca's fingertips would tap along with the beat on her arms or thighs, and the way the brunette would softly hum along in her ear. It was so easy to get wrapped up in Beca the famous artists that she sometimes forgot how talented her girlfriend really was. It hit her during one song when instead of singing along, Beca was quietly creating a mashup just for Chloe, tapping out the new beat and singing the additional lyrics in her ear.

"How do you do that?" She whispered, twisting her head to catch a glimpse of the brunette.

Beca just shrugged, answering, "I don't know... I just hear it in my head."

Chloe turned back around and leaned into her embrace. "It's incredible."

"You're incredible," came the whisper back, along with a single kiss to her neck.

Chloe grinned at how adorable Beca was being tonight. The brunette hated to admit it, but she was truly a romantic with the biggest hidden sweet side Chloe had ever seen in such an outwardly surly person.

"You're cute."

Beca snorted. "Excuse you, I'm a badass."

Chloe shot back, "The most adorable badass I've ever met."

Beca sighed, and Chloe felt the slow shake of her head behind her. The concert was wrapping up, and all Chloe wanted was to continue the night back at home. She loved it when Beca's softer side came out in bed, all gentle kisses and slow caresses. The intense, lust-driven times were good too, but there was something so special about seeing Beca drop those high walls and sarcastic "I don't give a fuck" attitude to let Chloe in completely.

She turned back around, pressing a soft kiss to Beca's lips, whispering, "Take me home."

Beca's eyes flashed to hers, recognizing her tone. "As you wish."

Chloe swooned at both her words and the look in her dark eyes. Of course Beca would quote one of the most romantic movies of all time to her after complaining the entire time Chloe made her watch it.

"Thought you said it was cheesy," Chloe said, getting to her feet.

"It is," Beca replied, standing and quickly folding their blanket into a square. "But you love it, so..."

She looked so adorable in that moment that Chloe couldn't help but kiss her again. "I love you."

Chloe stepped back to watch the easy smile cross Beca's face. "I'll never get tired of hearing you say that," the brunette admitted, taking her hand as they walked toward the exit.

"Good," Chloe responded, falling into step beside her. "Because I plan on saying it for a long time."

"God, we're so fucking cheesy. We've become that couple," Beca groaned, pulling her hat brim down to cover her eyes.

Before Chloe could object, someone tapped her on the shoulder, making her whip around. The man was dressed in ripped jeans and a casual button down, left open over a white t-shirt and had a headset hanging from his neck. Chloe glanced at Beca, who looked just as bewildered as she did.

"You're Beca Mitchell, right?"

Beca nodded slowly. "Yeah, what can I do for you?"

Chloe could have sworn he muttered "Thank God" under his breath.

"I need you to come with me, please," he said politely, handing them both backstage passes.

"Uh, I don't know what this is, buddy, but I'm not going anywhere with you," Beca retorted, giving him a confused look and ignoring the pass he handed her.

He looked a little desperate as Beca grabbed Chloe's hand, starting to lead them both away.

"Wait! I work for P!nk. Word got around you were here and she wants to meet you!"

Beca froze, and Chloe looked cautiously at her. Realizing Beca wasn't going to move on her own, Chloe spun the back around to face the man. "Right now?" She asked with uncertainty, wondering if Beca had gone into shock.

"Well, yeah," he said awkwardly.

Beca still hadn't said anything, and Chloe nudged her in the ribs. "Bec?"

Beca looked at her, before turning back to the guy. "Right, okay. Uh, can Chloe come with me?"

The man looked pointedly at the backstage pass in Chloe's hand, and Beca said, "Right, Got it. Okay, I guess."

They followed him backstage, carefully navigating around piles of equipment until they reached a room. Beca shot her a nervous look before the guy knocked, only waiting a few seconds before the door swung open to reveal the artist herself.

"Holy shit," Beca mumbled, looking up at the woman.

"Alecia, is fine," she replied right on cue, stepping aside. "Come on in. Thanks Ian!"

Chloe followed Beca into the room, surprised at how starstruck her girlfriend was. Beca had toured with Rascal Flatts and performed in New York on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but looked awkward as can be confined in the small dressing room with P!nk.

Deciding to break the ice, Chloe held out her hand with a smile. "Hi, I'm Chloe."

Alecia returned the smile, repeating her name. "Alecia. I've seen pics of you two together. So cute."

"Thanks," Chloe replied with a smile, nudging Beca in the side for the second time in about ten minutes. "She's usually... actually she's pretty much like this a lot."

Beca raised an eyebrow at her, and Chloe was glad the little dig broke her out of her funk. "Beca," she finally said, turning to shake Alecia's hand. "Though I'm not really sure why you wanted to meet me."

Alecia shook her hand, saying, "Awesome to finally meet you. I'll get straight to the point. I was gonna look you up anyways, because I have an idea for my next album... and I want you to produce it."

Chloe's eyes widened, looking at her girlfriend as Beca visibly relaxed, answering, "Really? Tell me about it?"

"Well, I'm thinking of doing an acoustic album of my greatest hits, but maybe trying out some new arrangements? I've got a couple of new songs I think would fit also, so it won't be a traditional greatest hits record. I like your style though, and I think we'd work well together. I think you could take my songs up a level with your creativity and originality. What do you think?" Alecia finished.

Beca was nodding along with the explanation, breaking into a smile by the end. "Sounds awesome. Going acoustic with some of your songs could draw out the emotional aspect even more. Highlight the lyrics and the soul in your voice..."

Chloe could already see the wheels turning in Beca's head. One look at Alecia and she knew the woman saw the same thing, the excitement visible on her face.

"Sweet. I'm locked into this tour through the end of the summer," Alecia said thoughtfully. "And then I'm taking a few months off, but I'd be ready to get to work after that. I can have my manager call yours to start working out the details?"

Beca frowned, thinking about the timeline. "I put out my second album at the end of last summer. Scotty's predicting another fall tour. Sounds far out, but we could schedule it for this time next year?"

Alecia thought for a moment, before nodding in agreement. " It's longer than I'd prefer to wait, but I think working with you will be worth it. I want in on that Grammy action again," she said with a wink.

Chloe watched them interact in awe, loving Beca in her element. Talking music was where the brunette felt the most at home, and Beca had done a complete one-eighty as soon as Alecia started talking about her vision for the album.

"Don't we all," Beca replied. "My manager can work with your team on the details. It shouldn't be a problem to secure studio time."

Chloe waited patiently while they chatted about a few more details and exchanged contact info, before Alecia gave them both a hug goodbye.

"Looking forward to working with you!" She called as they exited the room.

Chloe and Beca waved as they walked away, before Beca busted into an excited grin.

"What the fuck just happened?!"

* * *

It was their third weekend of house hunting, and Chloe was stunned to find herself feeding off Beca's positive energy and excitement. It was usually the other way around with them, Beca being unreasonably grouchy and Chloe softening her up and bringing a smile out. It was completely adorable and she was falling even more in love with the brunette the more excited she got about their future home.

"Okay, so this one is my favorite," Beca said with a grin, reaching out for Chloe's hand as she rounded the car. "It's a three bedroom, two and a half bath, but It's got this gorgeous back deck and a decent sized yard for Zeus."

Chloe looked up at the house, breaking into a smile. It was cute as can be, a one story brick house with a full stone front porch complete with a few columns. The front yard was a little small with a stone path leading to the front door, but she couldn't deny the welcoming vibe it gave off.

"What do you think?"

Chloe spun back to face Beca, answering, "I think it's adorable."

Beca nodded happily, looking back at the house. "I know, right? And the location is pretty good."

It wasn't a perfect location, a bit farther away from Barden than Chloe would have liked, but it was still close to Beca's parents and adding an extra five to ten minutes to her commute wasn't a big deal. Especially if it was as cute on the inside. This was the only house Beca hadn't sent her a link to, claiming that she wanted Chloe to see it in person first.

Chloe thought back over what she said, realizing something. "Wait, only three bedrooms? You won't have space for a home studio."

"True, but I decided I don't need it. I have the one in my apartment in Nashville, and I'm not... desired enough to bring people into a home studio anyways. Plus, it would cost a fucking fortune to build a really good one. That can go in our next house."

Chloe shook her head at the smile on Beca's face as she explained her train of thought. "Our next house?" She asked lightly, teasing Beca.

"Well, yeah. Oh good, he's here," Beca said, looking at the street as their realtor pulled up to the curb and parked behind them.

"Hi ladies!" Tony said, his wide smile in place. "Final one for today, promise. You're sure the last one was too far away?"

Chloe hesitated, knowing it wasn't THAT far out, but Beca cut in immediately.

"We're sure. I don't want Chloe to have that long of a commute."

She nudged Beca's shoulder, saying, "But it would chop your drive time to LA by thirty, maybe forty-five minutes. It'd be so much easier when you have to produce or record there."

Beca shook her head, holding firm. "Chlo, I'll have Isaac or someone driving me, and honestly, I doubt I'll be commuting anyways if I'm in the studio. The hours are crazy and it'll be easier to just camp out in LA for a few weeks or a month or however long it takes."

Chloe knew that was true, and didn't fight her on the point, though it made her a little sad to think about Beca not being home for a month.

Beca turned back to Tony, saying, "Okay, let's go. I think this could be the one."

Chloe couldn't help but grin at her excitement, taking her outstretched hand and wrapping her other arm around Beca's bicep. "The one, huh?" She said, leaning into the brunette's side.

"Just keep an open mind, okay?" Beca replied, bending her elbow to move her hand across her stomach, escorting Chloe to the front door while Tony got the key out of the lock box.

Chloe wasn't sure what to expect when he opened the door, but it wasn't the hot mess that greeted her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that it was dirty. Like, needed to be disinfected dirty. It had a musty smell that made her extremely nervous to step foot inside, and only did so with a little coaxing from her girlfriend.

"Open mind, Chlo," Beca said again, leading her inside as Tony closed the door behind them.

Chloe raised an eyebrow, asking, "Is this where you're going to bring all your high-maintenance artists to kill them?"

Beca chuckled and shook her head. "Okay, I know it looks like shit, but that's why I didn't want you to see the photos. Try to picture it cleaned up, with a few fresh coats of paint and hardwood floors instead of this nasty as fuck carpet."

Chloe looked around, realizing that the house actually had a beautiful open floor plan, which was something she'd put on her list of wants. The front door opened directly into a large living room area, and she could see all the way to the back wall of the house where the kitchen was. There was a door a few feet to her right that turned out to be a small coat closet, and another a little further down that was a small half bath. Between the doors was a small hallway that she decided to venture down later.

Beca hung back a bit, letting her explore the house on her own. It was truly in need of a good power washing, but Chloe was starting to see why her girlfriend was so excited about the house. There was potential everywhere she looked to turn the place into something special.

She arrived in the kitchen, inspecting everything a little closer before spinning to look at Beca. "You're going to want to completely redo this, aren't you?"

Beca gave her a sheepish grin, her hand moving up to rub the back of her neck. "Maybe?"

Chloe rolled her eyes turning to look back at the outdated appliances and the horrible wallpaper that separated the two main rooms. "There's no way a cooking snob like you would cook in this kitchen."

"Hey," Beca said, mock offended as she moved to her side. "I would totally cook in this kitchen. Well, after it's been disinfected and cleaned... several times. And a new stove wouldn't hurt," she added with a shrug.

"Uh huh," Chloe hummed, looking over at the attached eating area, and then at the door that lead to the so-called gorgeous patio. She looked outside, before crossing her arms and spinning back to the brunette who'd taken a few steps back.

"Beca, that patio has holes in it! Actual holes!"

Beca held her hands up defensively. "Okay, true. But, we could redo it and make it really nice."

Chloe chose not to respond, her mind working overtime as she wondered what Beca was really getting at with this house. She had no problem with them getting a fixer-upper, but Beca had never said anything of the kind and Chloe had sort of assumed they'd get something a little closer to move-in ready.

"Do I even want to see the bedrooms?" Chloe teased, seeing the relief on Beca's face when she understood Chloe wasn't completely against the house.

Beca moved forward and took her hand again, leading her down a hallway off the kitchen along the back of the house. There was a folding door hiding a nook with a washer/dryer hookup at the end of the hall, but Beca stopped before they got that far, opening a door on her left to the master bedroom. Chloe was surprised at the large space, not realizing the house extended further back past the last wall of the kitchen.

"The last owners build this addition," Beca said softly, looking around the suite. "It has a bathroom over there with built-in closets."

The room was as dirty as the rest of the house, but it was bothering her less and less. She could see why Beca was so intrigued with the place, but wanted to hear it from her lips. Turning back around, she took advantage of the privacy to slip her arms around Beca's neck.

"Why do you want this place so bad?"

Beca shrugged, letting her hands rest lightly on Chloe's hips. "I don't know, I guess I just see what it could become. It just needs a little love... you know?"

It hit her instantly, and Chloe felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. Beca felt drawn to this place because she connected with it. She wasn't some polished finished work, and how many times had the brunette implied that Chloe had changed her. Helped her. Fixed her. Chloe met Beca's eyes, looking at her seriously.

"You were not broken."

Beca shifted uneasily, trying to shrug the comment off. "It's just a house, Chlo."

Chloe didn't let it go, instead leaning down and kissing her softly. "I fell in love with you exactly how you were. A grumpy, moody, recluse who pushed me away."

Beca rolled her eyes, replying, "Who then pushed me away."

"Yes, well mistakes were made," Chloe admitted, stepping away from the embrace to look into the bathroom, before returning to the bedroom to look out the dusty window into the backyard.

Beca came up behind her, and Chloe felt arms slipping around her waist and lips pressed to her neck. She felt warm and safe in the brunette's embrace, asking quietly, "What are you thinking, Bec?"

Beca hummed, replying, "I'm thinking I can see what this house could be. I can see us happy here. I see us arguing over paint colors and furniture. I see you barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, singing along to some terrible boy band while I cook you dinner. I see our kids running around in the backyard with Zeus, and a swing hanging from that tree in the corner."

Chloe let out a choked laugh, leaning farther back into her embrace. "Boy bands are not terrible."

"That's what you got out of all that?" Beca teased, turning her around to look into her eyes. "This place will take some work, but I haven't regretted a single adventure with you and I'm not about to start now. So whatcha say, Chlo? Wanna buy a house with me?"

* * *

Chloe clapped proudly as another one of her senior students crossed the stage to accept his diploma. She looked over at Beca and the brunette winked at her, clapping respectfully along with the crowd. The students filed one by one across the stage, and Chloe's heart was full when Beca's arm slipped easily around her.

"Doesn't seem like that long ago that I was watching you walk across that stage," Chloe teased, enjoying the way Beca huffed in return.

"Seems like a lifetime ago for me," Beca commented, letting her fingertips trail aimlessly along Chloe's upper arm. She leaned closer, and Chloe tensed as lips close to her ear whispered, "But that was also right before you dumped me for your imaginary boyfriend, so I could just be selectively forgetting."

Chloe rolled her eyes, elbowing her in the side. "Low blow, Mitchell," she said, her gaze focused on the stage.

Beca immediately retreated, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Chlo. I didn't mean it like that. You know I'm super grateful for what you did, right?"

That got her attention, and Chloe turned to look into the dark blue eyes she loved so much. "Really?"

Beca tilted her head a little, before answering, "Yeah... of course. You had the balls to make the decision I should have made. Who knows where I... or we would be right now if things had gone differently."

Chloe felt a little awkward having this conversation right now, in the middle of graduation, but didn't want to stop when Beca was being so open and honest.

"I used to think about that all the time," Chloe admitted. "That if I hadn't done it you'd be here with me and happy instead of miles apart and miserable. Well, I was miserable. I wasn't sure exactly how you were. And then Sheila added to the guilt when she told me it was your decision to make... and that you'd have had to live with the consequences one way or another."

Beca's eyes went wide, and Chloe clapped a hand over her mouth realizing what she said. "Sheila said what to you?"

Chloe grabbed Beca's hand. "Becs, it's fine. We had a great talk and it was important for both of us. We both needed it. I need you to forget I ever mentioned it, please."

Beca studied her for a long moment, not looking convinced.

"Please, Bec?" Chloe added in the puppy eyes that Beca couldn't say no to, smiling victoriously when the brunette relented.

"Okay, fine," she grumbled, leaning back in her seat. "You're sure?"

"Positive," Chloe answered, knowing that Beca trusted her enough to drop it.

The graduates all stood and began to file out of the gym. Chloe breathed a sigh of relief that the ceremony was over, and the crowd slowly exited behind them to where food and drinks were set up on the open quad.

She enjoyed that they were able to cross the grounds hand in hand without being stormed by students. Beca's constant appearances on campus throughout the spring to help with the choir had actually done a ton of good. Since the students knew she'd be around, they stopped hounding Chloe's classroom, and instead waited to swarm her after school on her way to the choir room. Eventually, the students became used to her presence on campus, and Beca's down to earth attitude led to them treating her more like an older friend than the celebrity that left them starstruck.

The concert had gone off perfectly, and Beca had joined them to solo one of her songs with the kids singing back up behind her. She had also promised Dr. Williams she would bring her band in and perform a back to school concert for all the students for free in early August. Chloe had enjoyed every minute of teasing Beca about how well she got along with the students, hinting that maybe being a teacher isn't the worst job in the world after all. Beca had stubbornly refused to admit anything of the sort, but the way her face lit up as she described her sessions with the choir told Chloe a different story.

Chloe accepted the plastic cup of lemonade Beca handed her, smiling at the happy scenes all around of kids hugging their friends or parents or celebrating by tossing their cap into the air. It was a gorgeous day, and she turned to say as much to Beca only to find her girlfriend holding her phone to her ear listening intently. She waited patiently as Beca said "okay" about ten times in a row, before hanging up with a "thanks so much."

"Well?" Chloe looked at her expectantly, having no idea who Beca could have been talking to.

Beca took her cup of lemonade, setting it carefully on the ground before standing upright and grabbing both her hands. "Chlo, we got the house."

Chloe's eyes went wide and she temporarily forgot where they were, throwing her arms around Beca and kissing her soundly. Pulling back, she said, "Seriously?!"

"Totes," Beca joked, shooting her a wink.

"Oh my God! That's amazing!" Chloe squealed, wrapping the brunette in a tight hug. Leaning back, she shot Beca an accusatory stare, asking, "Why aren't you happier?"

But Beca was already breaking into a wide grin, rendering the question irrelevant as she grabbed Chloe's face for another kiss. "I'm happy, I swear. Just processing," Beca said, dropping her hands to retrieve their drinks from the sidewalk.

Chloe reached out to take the cup from her, but Beca held on firmly, pulling Chloe in for another kiss.

"Get it, Miss Beale!"

They broke apart immediately, and Chloe knew she was blushing furiously as she turned to look at the source of the comment. Instead of leaving, he came closer to ask Chloe for a picture. She handed Beca her cup back, hoping by the time they got settled and snapped the photo the flush had left her cheeks.

A few more of her students approached to say goodbye and take pictures, and Beca gave her a knowing smile, retreating back to give Chloe this time with her students. This was one of the defining love-hate moments of being a teacher. As proud as she was of her students for succeeding and graduating, she was going to miss not seeing them next year. Barden had a stellar reputation for turning out smart students with upstanding character, and she truly loved each and every one of them.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a few of her colleagues approach Beca and start up a conversation. Normally she wouldn't have thought twice about it, but this particular group hadn't had the nicest things to say about Beca since she started volunteering with the choir. Before she could move to Beca's aid, three more students shouted her name as they walked through the crowd toting their parents along. She gave them a bright smile and congratulated them all on graduating, preparing for the next onslaught of photos.

By the time she made her way back to Beca, the brunette was once more alone, seated on a bench and looking casually at something on her phone. Dark blue eyes met hers as she approached, watching as Beca slipped the phone into the back pocket of her jeans before sitting down beside her.

"Ready to blow this popsicle stand?" Beca asked, her hand resting on Chloe's knee.

"Yeah, in a minute," Chloe answered, laughing at the initial question.

Beca nodded. "Good, I'm starving. There's only cookies and veggie trays at this thing, and I'm dying for something a bit more substantial. Wanna hit up In-N-Out?"

"Oooh, that sounds amazing," Chloe agreed, resting for a minute before asking the question. "What did Mark and all them want earlier?"

Beca looked confused for a moment, before the realization dawned on her face. "Oh, those teachers? They wanted an autograph," she answered with a chuckle. "Seemed super embarrassed about it though."

"Really?" Chloe's surprise was evident, and caused Beca to raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, why so surprised? I get bombarded everywhere I go, lately. This was actually pretty tame," Beca mused, looking curiously at her.

Chloe shrugged, suddenly not wanting to tell Beca the answer. That turned out not to be an option, as Beca reached over to poke and tickle her stomach until she relented.

"Fine! Okay!" She gasped, shoving Beca's hands away from her. "They just weren't fans of your music, that's all. Or how much the kids talked about you when you first started helping with the choir. Said you were an unnecessary distraction."

Beca looked thoughtful for a moment, before shrugging. "Explains why they looked like they were about to get caught cheating on a test, then." She rose to her feet and extended her hand to Chloe. "Come on, babe. We've got some celebrating to do. Burgers and shakes on me!"

Chloe grinned and took her hand, getting slowly to her feet. "Sounds perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I cannot shower enough praise on my beta, Arsto. I shudder to think where I'd be in this fic without her help.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to R&R!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekly update posted one whole day early. You're welcome.
> 
> Also, still Chloe's POV.

* * *

 

"Chlo, wake up."

Chloe blinked her eyes open, looking up at Beca, who was perched on top of her. She covered her mouth and let out a yawn, smiling sleepily up at her wide-awake girlfriend.

"Why are you up so early? And with so much energy?" She asked, trying to sit up only for Beca to push her back down.

"Happy Birthday!" Beca exclaimed with a grin, leaning down to give her a kiss. "Also, it's like ten... so not really that early."

Warmth bubbled up in her chest at the fact that Beca remembered her birthday, before quickly blocking the brunette's lips with her hand. At Beca's confused look, she said shyly, "I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

Beca rolled her eyes, moving her hand aside to press a firm kiss to her lips. "I'll have to get used to it sooner or later," Beca mumbled, pressing closer through the thin sheet covering her body.

Chloe sighed and ran her hands run over Beca's back, disappointed when she pulled away before it got too serious. Beca hopped off the bed and left the room, calling over her shoulder, "Sit up!"

She followed instructions, propping a pillow against the frame and leaned back against it in time to see Beca re-enter the room with a breakfast tray, Zeus hot on her heels this time. Beca indulged him for a minute, letting him hop on the bed and give her a few kisses before banishing him from the room.

"Aw, he can't stay?" Chloe asked, slightly disappointed.

"Not if you want to eat any of this," Beca replied, setting the tray on her lap and easing onto the bed beside her.

Chloe's eyes widened at the eggs, bacon, fruit, and pancakes in front of her. "Did you make all this?"

"Zeus did, but I helped," Beca quipped, and Chloe rolled her eyes.

"I love it," she said, ignoring the comment. Looking closely over the tray, she squealed happily. "You made me blueberry pancakes!"

Beca sighed, as though it pained her to do so. "Yes, I know they're your favorite for some absurd reason. Why you would choose fruit over chocolate, I'll never know."

Chloe scoffed at the idea, retorting, "Because they're delicious and healthy at the same time."

"Sure, if you say so." Beca reached over and snagged a piece of bacon, crunching down on it happily.

Chloe shook her head with a smile, taking a sip of coffee before pouring syrup all over the pancakes.

* * *

After breakfast and a heated make out session that unfortunately didn't progress further, Chloe was disappointed to find herself alone in the shower. Beca had sneakily led her into the bathroom under false pretenses, and Chloe would be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to a role reversal from Beca's birthday back in December. The thought of Beca on her knees in the shower with her almost had her hot enough to take care of the urge herself. Instead, the brunette told her she had a surprise planned for lunch, and that Chloe should get ready while she cleaned up from breakfast.

She finished her shower quickly, ignoring the desire to find some relief on her own and shut the water off. Wrapping a towel around her body and tucking it neatly into her cleavage, she dried her hair with a second until it was damp before leaving the bathroom. Chloe was a little surprised to find the bedroom door shut, since they rarely closed it unless it was to keep Zeus out, and for a second could have sworn she her voices on the other side. As in multiple voices.

Before she could investigate, Beca poked her head in the room, her eyes trailing over Chloe's body as she quickly stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

"Who were you talking to?" Chloe asked curiously, the brunette's strange behavior putting her on edge.

"No one," was the immediate reply. "You know I talk to myself sometimes," Beca added smoothly, stepping closer to Chloe until they were almost touching.

Chloe was about to argue she heard more than one voice, but then Beca was kissing her and a hand was sliding up her thigh under her towel and she lost all train of thought. Except it was over as soon as it began, leaving Chloe a little dazed as Beca retreated back to the door.

"Get dressed, babe. I'll keep Zeus out here with me so he doesn't shed all over you."

Just like that she was gone again, and Chloe was more than a little frustrated. "You could always come back and finish what you start!" She shouted at the door, taking a deep breath to get her arousal under control.

There was no answer, and Chloe sighed as she dried off and finished getting ready. She chose to keep it casual since she had no idea where Beca was taking her, deciding not to give Beca any warning before opening the door and looking around the main room of the apartment.

She frowned at Beca's raised eyebrow, admitting, "I was sure you were talking to someone."

"I talk to Zeus all the time," Beca suggested, looking around the room as well. "Or myself."

Chloe knew that was true, and shrugged off her suspicions. She wondered if you could be aroused enough to hallucinate, shifting a little as Beca finished up the last of the dishes from breakfast. Watching her do the simple chore shouldn't have such an effect on Chloe, but all she could focus on was the way Beca's fingers firmly gripped whatever plate or glass or pan she was washing while her other hand moved the soapy sponge over it.

"Shit, you're super horny," Beca commented with a laugh, rinsing off the last pan and setting it in the drying rack.

"Hmm?" Chloe hummed, forcing her eyes to meet Beca's dark ones, full of mischief.

Beca dried her hands on a dish towel, slowly moving around the counter to stand in front of Chloe. "I said, you're sup..."

Chloe cut her off with a kiss, drawing out a squeak of surprise as she pushed her backward into the couch. As was the pattern though, Beca pulled away, gasping for breath.

"Wait, Chlo... wait."

Chloe shook her head, leaning in to kiss her again, mumbling against her lips, "It's my birthday."

Beca gave in a little, parting her lips to let Chloe's tongue explore her mouth. After a minute, she pulled back again, quickly asking, "Don't you want your present?"

Chloe was torn. Yes, she desperately wanted to know what Beca got her, but she also was kinda hoping at least one of Beca's presents today would involve an orgasm. Or two. Or four with how pent up she was feeling right now.

Beca took advantage of her hesitation though, escaping from where Chloe had her pinned against the couch and retreating a safe distance away. She suddenly looked a little uncertain, shoving her hands in her pockets and stealing glances around the room.

"So, uh, I didn't really know what to get you... for your birthday."

Chloe smiled at how adorably awkward Beca was being, knowing she would love whatever it was because it was from Beca. The brunette was so loving and thoughtful that Chloe knew she had nothing to worry about, feeling excited at what Beca might have gotten her.

Beca shifted again and continued, "I wanted it to be special..." She trailed off, appearing to not know what else to say.

Chloe crossed the room to her, grabbing her hands. "Baby, it will be special no matter what because it's from you."

Beca rolled her eyes, sighing, "Thanks, Chlo. Anyways, I've already made this beyond awkward, so... just come in already," she raised her voice louder at the end.

Chloe was sure she looked appropriately confused until the apartment door swung open and Jess jumped inside yelling, "Surprise!"

"Oh my God!" Chloe squealed, abandoning Beca instantly to hug her best friend. After a moment, she turned back to her girlfriend, grabbing her cheeks and pressed a searing kiss on her lips. "I love you so much."

Beca blushed a little, but she was smiling at the joy on Chloe's face. "Love you too, babe. I made you guys a lunch reservation at this place downtown. Supposed to be fantastic. Have a fun afternoon, but have her back here by 6," Beca finished, looking sternly at Jess.

The blonde nodded in agreement while Chloe was still struggling to process the turn of events.

"You liar! I knew you were talking to someone," Chloe accused, looking at Beca.

The brunette shrugged, though there was zero guilt in her expression. "You thought I was talking to myself," Beca countered, leaning back against the couch. "Anyways, doesn't matter. You guys go have a good time. I've got some stuff to take care of, and I'll meet you back here later."

Chloe agreed, moving in for one more kiss before skipping over to hug her best friend again. "I can't believe you're here!"

* * *

Chloe leaned back in her chair after the waiter walked away with their orders, smiling happily at her best friend across the table.

"I can't believe Beca flew you out here for my birthday," she said with a shake of her head. "Could Ash not make it?"

Jess shook her head, answering, "No, she wanted to be here though. Her sister is getting married in a few months, so she's at the bachelorette weekend in Vegas. So close, yet so far."

Chloe laughed, understanding what she meant.

"Actually, speaking of marriage," Jess said, conspiratorially looking around before pulling a small box out of her purse.

Chloe gasped, her eyes widening as she saw the box. "Oh my God, is that what I think it is?"

Jess nodded, flipping it open to reveal a solitaire diamond in a silver setting. "I'm gonna ask her to marry me."

"It's beautiful, Jess," Chloe said, feeling overwhelmed with happiness for her friends. "White gold?"

"Yep. One carat, but I didn't think she'd want bigger. You know Ash, she's not flashy," Jess explained, looking fondly down at the ring as if picturing it on her girlfriend's finger already. "She's been super patient with me while I finished law school, and now that I've at least got an income and a head start on some of my student loans... now's the right time."

Chloe reached over to hold Jess' hand, replying, "She'll love it."

Jess smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. "Love is in the air, isn't it? You two seem to be doing well, based on how you still can't keep your hands off each other. Thought that might have died down a little by now."

Chloe blushed a little, but she was proud that Beca still felt that way about her. She couldn't get enough of the brunette, and hoped that feeling never changed. "Yeah, we're doing really well. It's been amazing having her here this spring. She's super sweet, and surprisingly domestic, and I'm still shamelessly in love with her."

"I'm so happy for you, Chlo. Do you remember the first time you told me about her? You were so infatuated already and I was pretty sure you didn't even realize it, and I was so worried for you. Did you ever think it would have turned into this?" Jess asked curiously, taking a sip of her lemonade.

"No," Chloe said honestly, thinking back to the moment she met Beca, all tattoos, piercings, and eyeliner with "Fuck off" stamped clearly on her forehead. "It's become more than I could have dreamed of. I was worried too, for a while, but..." Chloe trailed off, a goofy smile crossing her lips. "I fell hard for her."

"So when are you gonna put a ring on it?"

Chloe snapped out of her thoughts at that, looking sharply at Jess. "What?"

Jess shrugged innocently back at her. "What? Are you seriously going to tell me you haven't thought about it?"

She remained silent, because she couldn't deny the accusation. She had thought about it, quite often over the past few months, mostly when Beca was being too adorable for words. Like when Chloe woke up early for school and Beca sleepily got up also to make her a cup of coffee for the road. Or when she caught Chloe staring at her while she worked on mixes on her laptop, only to wink and blow her a kiss. Or any time they discussed moving in together and Beca reminded her of things to take into account like school districts and proximity to daycares.

"I can tell by the look on your face you have," Jess commented.

Chloe sighed, looking at her best friend. "Of course I have, it would be impossible not to have thought about it with how amazing she is. But she's twenty, Jess. Her career is really starting to take off right now... marriage is probably the last thing on her mind. The house is taking up most of her attention, along with negotiations and planning for her next tour."

Jess raised an eyebrow, asking, "What house?"

Chloe looked at her blankly, saying, "Didn't I tell you? We bought a house!"

"Uh, no. I definitely would have remembered that," Jess said with an excited smile. "Tell me about it!"

She described the house in all its dirty glory to her best friend, being honest in her assessment that it was adorable on the outside and with a little hard work and an interior designer, the inside could be too.

"I don't know, Chlo," Jess teased. "Sounds pretty domestic to me. She might be closer to proposing than you think."

Chloe shook her head, not wanting to get her hopes up any more than they already were. Of course she wanted to marry Beca. She couldn't imagine living her life with anyone else. She was also equally sure that Beca had made it clear they weren't ready for that step yet.

Before she could answer, her phone chimed with a text. She dug it out of her purse as their waiter returned with their food.

Upon seeing it was from Bree, she swiped at the screen, apologizing to Jess, "Sorry, it's from Aubrey. Just have to make sure it's nothing for work."

Jess waved away her apology, instead thanking the waiter and asking him for more lemonade.

_Bree [12:21PM]: Happy Birthday!_

_Bree [12:22]: FYI just saw Beca leaving Jared's with a super tiny bag! Someone's getting bling for their birthday!_

Chloe sucked a breath in at the second text, letting her mind wonder for a minute if Beca was going to propose on her birthday. The brunette had mentioned she had missed birthday's to make up for, but Chloe felt like it was a bit too much of a coincidence.

Jess' voice cut into her concentration. "Everything okay?"

Chloe snapped her head up to look at her, nodding a little too quickly. "Yeah, fine.," she said distractedly as she typed out a reply.

"Real convincing there, Chlo," Jess joked. "What'd the text say?"

"Um... it was Bree wishing me a happy birthday," Chloe began. "And maybe that she happened to see Beca leaving a jewelry store with a small bag."

Jess' eyes bugged out with excitement, gasping, "Chloe! She might put a ring on it for you! We could be engaged together! And wedding plan together!"

Chloe felt herself getting caught up in Jess' excitement, despite her better judgment. It was like she finally let herself feel just how much she wanted to marry Beca, to join their lives together permanently. She wanted Beca for better or worse, richer or poorer, and sooner rather than later.

"That would be amazing," Chloe agreed, breaking into a happy smile. Forcing herself away from the thought of Beca in a wedding dress, she changed the subject. "Anyways, have you planned your proposal? I want to hear all the details!"

Chloe took a bite of her sandwich as Jess launched into her proposal plans, unable to shake the thought that she might be wearing a ring on her finger by the end of the night.

* * *

After a fun afternoon shopping and a short walk on the beach, Chloe waved goodbye to Jess after being dropped back off at her apartment with a promise they'd hang out tomorrow. It was a little before six, and Chloe was anxious to get home and see what Beca had planned for her.

She tentatively opened the apartment door, unsure of what she'd find on the other side. What she found was Beca busy in the kitchen, dressed casually in jeans and a dark blue and black flannel left open over a black tank top and her signature replica Masterchef apron. The smell of pizza and roasted vegetables hit her nose, making her mouth water.

The door closing made Beca's head jerk up in surprise, before an easy smile graced her features. "Hey babe. How was your afternoon?"

Chloe felt her heart flutter a little at that smile, knowing it was one Beca reserved almost exclusively for her. It was happy, content, and needy all in one, like she'd just settled her eyes on something she instantly decided she couldn't live without.

"Amazing," Chloe answered, dropping her few purchases by the door and moving into the kitchen to give Beca a kiss. "How was your day?"

"Eh, started off pretty well, and I'm hoping to finish with a bang," Beca said, giving her a wink.

Chloe fought hard to keep her thoughts from running wild, but it was proving a lot more difficult than she thought. "I can't wait to see what you've got planned."

Beca smirked up at her. "Want to come and see?"

Chloe nodded, taking Beca's hand and closing her eyes as requested. She felt Beca leading her out of the kitchen, but not far enough to venture into their bedroom. After a few more seconds, Beca's voice sounded out.

"Okay, open your eyes."

She did, and her breath caught at how Beca had transformed their little living room into a comfortable picnic area complete with blankets and pillows. The coffee table and chairs had been pushed away, making Chloe wonder how she hadn't noticed it immediately upon entering the apartment. There were a few candles lit giving the area a warm glow and a small bouquet of lilies in a vase in the center, sending a thrill through her that Beca remembered they were her favorite.

"Do you like it?"

Chloe could hear the doubt in Beca's voice, and turned around so the brunette could see the shimmer of tears in her eyes. "I love it," she whispered, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Good," Beca said, clearly relieved. "Get comfy and I'll be right back with dinner."

Chloe settled down against one of the pillows propped up against the couch just in time for Beca to place a cutting board in front of her holding a piping hot veggie pizza. She returned moments later with mozzarella sticks and a little cup with pasta sauce for dipping, a light haze of steam trickling up from the surface.

Chloe smiled, watching her set everything up, disappearing once more only to return with a bottle of wine and two glasses hanging from her fingers.

"Wine?" Chloe teased as Beca sat down beside her, slightly out of breath. "Are you okay?"

Beca smirked, ignoring her second question. "Well, we aren't in public... and I'm betting you won't turn me in." After a moment, she offered, "I can put it away and grab us some water if you don't..."

Chloe shook her head, interrupting quickly, "I'd love some."

"Right. Okay," Beca said, pulling a corkscrew from her pocket and opening the bottle with ease.

"Do we need to talk about how practiced that seemed?" Chloe asked, having never seen Beca drink wine, let alone open a bottle.

Beca shook her head, skillfully pouring Chloe a glass. "Nope." She poured a second, and held it up as if to make a toast.

Chloe raised an eyebrow, but held her's aloft and patiently waited.

"Happy Birthday, Chlo. I'm super glad you were born." With that, she clinked her class to Chloe's and took a sip.

Chloe laughed and rolled her eyes, taking her own sip of wine. "Hey, you never answered me. Since when are you out of breath from a couple trips to the kitchen?"

Beca raised an eyebrow, replying, "Just what are you insinuating, Beale? I exercise plenty."

"Sex doesn't count," Chloe shot back.

"The hell it doesn't," Beca retorted, taking another sip from her glass.

They chatted easily over the pizza and mozzarella sticks, which were good enough to make Chloe moan with each bite, though after the first few she started doing it on purpose just to see Beca's eyes flash with lust for a few seconds.

Chloe polished off the last of her wine as Beca carried the empty dishes back to the kitchen. She returned carrying a plate with two cupcakes on it, each with a single burning candle.

"Want me to sing?" Beca asked, setting them down in front of her.

"I love it when you sing," Chloe commented, glancing up from the plate to meet Beca's gaze. "But you don't ha..."

Beca began singing softly, her eyes never leaving Chloe's. It was adorable and cheesy and Chloe loved every second of it. When she finished, Chloe made a wish and quickly blew the two candles out.

They devoured the cupcakes, feeding each other forkfuls of the different flavors and stealing kisses between bites. Chloe felt perfectly content as Beca carried the last of the dishes back to the kitchen and set the vase of flowers on the coffee table before flopping back down beside her.

"Having fun?" Beca asked, reaching over to tuck a fly away strand of hair behind Chloe's ear.

Chloe sighed, grabbing her wrist and pressing a kiss over the headphones tattoo. "It's been perfect."

Beca grinned happily. "Okay, so... you get to choose what's next. We could watch a movie, one of your favorite sappy romances... or you can open your presents. What'll it be?"

Chloe pretended to think about it, before giving in to the knowing smile on Beca's face. "Presents."

"Thought so," Beca said confidently, rolling over to pull a small bag out from behind the side of the couch and passed it over to her.

Chloe took the bag, seeing a few small boxes and no less than five cards. "Where did all this come from?" She asked, puzzled, thinking it would just be Beca's gifts.

Beca propped herself up against the couch, asking, "Did you seriously think no one sent you anything for your birthday? Not even your insanely loveable mom?"

"I figured it was still in the mail," Chloe replied, pulling the cards out and opening them. There was one from her parents, the twins, Will, Jess and Ashley, Ben and Sheila, and last but not least, Beca. The first small box was a pair of earrings from Jess, while the second contained a Fandango gift card from Aubrey and Jesse, along with a small note.

Chloe saved Beca's card for last, flipping it over only to realize it wasn't sealed, but instead the open flap tucked neatly inside.

At her raised eyebrow, Beca explained, "I don't like to lick the envelope. It tastes awful, and it's not like it was going through the mail."

Chloe chuckled at her reasoning, pulling the card out and breaking into a full on laugh. The front was a picture of fireworks against the night sky with the bold words in all caps "YOU ARE SO WEIRD. I AM SO LUCKY."

She flipped it open to see a simple "Happy Birthday Weirdo" on the inside, followed by a messily scrawled message from Beca, which brought the tears back. It was sweet and straight from the heart, reading more like the lyrics to a song than a simple declaration of love, but she shouldn't be surprised by that. Beca was a master of crafting deep, meaningful lyrics; It's why her music sold and she was so loved by her fans.

"Thanks, baby," Chloe said happily, leaning over to give her another kiss, lingering longer than the brief ones throughout dinner and dessert.

Beca returned the kiss before pulling back and taking a deep breath, looking a little hesitant.

Chloe studied her face, feeling her heart beat faster, wondering if Beca looked so nervous because she was about to propose. Her heart might have actually stopped when Beca reached carefully into the pocket of her jeans, feeling around for something.

"Chlo, bringing Jess in for a visit wasn't my only present," Beca said, still more reserved after laughing at the front of the card along with her. "This one is a bit more... hands on, I guess."

Chloe thought her heart might burst out of her chest when Beca pulled her hand from her pocket. She deflated just as quickly when the brunette opened her palm to reveal a small square of folded paper. It didn't stay that way though, as Beca began unfolding it until she recognized it as one of those fortune tellers she sometimes confiscated from students.

Beca had been focused on the paper in her hand and thankfully hadn't noticed her slight disappointment, because she looked back up at Chloe with a bright smile. "I made this a special truth or dare version for you. Want to give it a go?"

Chloe wondered what could be written inside, hope blossoming within her again as she looked at the numbers written on the top sections. She couldn't help but grin at Beca's enthusiasm, saying, "Four."

Beca counted out to four and showed her the inside sections she got to choose from.

"Blue," Chloe chose, scooting closer to Beca as she became more curious about the small game. She looked inside at the colors again, choosing, "Purple."

Beca winked at her and opened the flap. "Right, so how this works is there's either an action or a question on the inside. If it's a question, you get to decide which one of us answers it. If it's an action, I have to do it," she finished, looking back at the flap.

Chloe waited impatiently as Beca read out loud, "Give Chloe a kiss." She grinned as the brunette leaned in quickly, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Hey!"

Beca laughed, saying, "It just said one kiss! You'll have to keep playing to find out what else might be in here."

"Let's play again," Chloe said, already feeling more and more excited about this game.

The next flap revealed a question, which she decided Beca would answer before even hearing it.

Beca smirked, reading out loud, "What's the craziest place you've had sex?"

Chloe's eyebrows rose, realizing this was more like dirty truth or dare fortune teller. All the pent up frustration from earlier was coming back full force, and she hoped one of those little flaps ended up with them naked in bed.

"Well?" she asked, now extremely curious what Beca's answer was.

Beca hesitated for a second, before admitting, "At school... on Posen's desk."

Chloe's jaw dropped, mostly because she was thinking about what Aubrey's reaction to finding out that news would be.

"What... how? Who?" Chloe asked, unable to keep the last question from spilling out.

Beca chuckled at the memory. "It was late one night, after school. I grinned like an idiot every time I passed her in the hallway, which pissed her off for some reason."

Chloe got the message that Beca didn't want to disclose who else was involved, and she became curious why Beca put that question in there. She didn't really want to hear about the people Beca slept with before her, realizing that they hadn't discussed their pasts at all and that at some point they probably should.

"Why put that in there?" She asked before she could stop herself.

Beca looked at her seriously, answering, "Because I want you to know stuff about me... well, everything about me. And I suck at telling you things. I thought that maybe the present that would mean the most to you was me opening up more."

The hesitant look was back on Beca's face, and Chloe felt the sudden urge to kiss her senseless. She closed the distance between them, wondering how Beca could keep surprising her with how much love she was capable of. Chloe ended up straddling her hips, tongue licking into her mouth until they were both breathless.

Foreheads resting together, Beca whispered, "Does that mean you're done playing?"

Chloe hummed for a moment, the thought of getting Beca naked almost winning out over her curiosity. In the end, she sat back reluctantly, ready to find out the next unknown.

Fifteen minutes later, they'd made it through a few more kisses, one very detailed teacher fantasy that her girlfriend had smirked the whole way through and Chloe had committed to memory for the future, and one ridiculously sexy lap dance that Chloe had yet to release Beca from. Her hands firmly gripped Beca's hips that were still grinding down on her lap with their mouths fused together. The song was long over, and Chloe wondered if this was where the game ended for the night. She was the definition of hot and bothered, and all thought had turned to getting Beca even more naked than she already was, having shed her shirt when the lap dance turned into a strip tease.

The brunette pulled away, causing Chloe to groan in frustration.

"Are we done?" Beca breathed, still trying to catch her breath.

Chloe lowered her eyes to Beca's breasts, perfectly on display in front of her. Thinking quickly, she couldn't resist turning over one more flap. "One more," she said, the excitement returning.

She made her selections quickly, finally choosing a color she hadn't uncovered yet. Beca opened the flap, seeming to steel herself before reading it out loud.

"Ask me anything."

Chloe's eyes widened, the words that had been on her mind all night spilling out before she could stop them.

"Will you marry me?"

There was a terrible pause as Beca gave a short laugh, the smile slowly slipping from her face when she realized Chloe was looking intently at her.

"Chlo, are you serious? This isn't... we aren't... I'm not..." Beca trailed off stuttering furiously, her face flushed.

Chloe backpedaled immediately, forcing out a laugh. "Kidding, Becs. I'm sorry, it just seemed like the perfect time for a little payback for your fake proposal," she said, dying a little inside at how empty it sounded, even to her.

Beca visibly relaxed, running a hand through her hair. "Fuck, Chlo, you scared the shit out of me! No more fake proposals!"

It took everything she had to keep the tears from forming in her eyes as she nodded in agreement. "Okay, deal. We're even now anyways."

Beca shook her head, muttering, "About to give me a fucking heart attack." She looked up at Chloe, reminding her, "So, you've still got a free question."

The disappointment was clouding her mind, causing her to barely be able to focus on what Beca was saying. She didn't know why she said it, or how the words came out of her mouth without permission. Chloe chalked it up to the events of the day, and allowing her brain to run wild with speculation. Beca had told her countless times she wasn't ready to get married. It was no one's fault but her own.

Despite that, it still hurt to see Beca's reaction to her proposal, real or not. She'd looked terrified, and then beyond relieved after believing Chloe was joking. She honestly wasn't sure which was worse, and needed something to distract her from the way she was starting to wonder if Beca really wanted to marry her. Her brain was spiraling downward in doubts that had no basis in fact, yet she was powerless to stop it.

"Chlo?" Beca's voice brought her back to the moment, looking blankly at her girlfriend. "Have you thought of a question you'd like to ask me?"

Chloe again said the first thing that came to her mind, what she needed most from Beca in that moment. "Make love to me?"

Beca's eyes darkened immediately, leaning in to press a long, slow kiss to her lips. "As you wish."

* * *

Chloe glanced at the clock, realizing she'd been lying in bed awake for two hours with her girlfriend passed out beside her from their more vigorous activities that evening. Beca was mumbling softly in her sleep as she slipped out of bed and grabbed her phone, moving quietly out of the bedroom. A glance at the clock told her that her mom was awake, never shaking her habit of rising early. She tapped a few times on the screen until she found the right contact number, putting the phone to her ear and curling up in the corner of the couch.

_"Chloe, is everything alright? It's the middle of the night on the west coast."_ Grace's voice filtered through the phone, making her feel strangely homesick.

"I'm okay," Chloe answered, trying to keep her voice casual. "Couldn't sleep."

_"Well, happy birthday, honey!"_

"Thanks mom... for the card too," Chloe said, pulling a blanket over her legs. "How are you?"

_"Your father and I are good. We miss you though! Ya'll should come visit soon!"_

"Yeah, we should," Chloe agreed, knowing there was no way it could happen any time soon, and that her mother didn't need to know that. "Can I talk to you about something?"

_"You can talk to me about anything."_

Chloe sighed, deciding it was better to just get it over with quickly. "I asked Beca to marry me tonight, but she thought it was a joke, and then she panicked, and then I bailed and told her it was a joke."

There was silence on the other end, before Grace said, _"I think you'll need to start at the beginning, honey."_

So Chloe described the day's events, explaining how lunch with Jess and the texts from Aubrey had her on edge all day wondering if Beca was going to propose, the disappointment she felt when she didn't, and the doubts that came when she acted like marrying Chloe just wasn't something she could do.

"Am I being crazy mom?"

_"Oh, honey, of course not! It's only natural when you love someone to want to move the relationship forward. But, I do think you're letting those doubts cloud your better judgment. Beca made it very clear she wants to marry you."_

"Yeah, I know," Chloe replied. "But what if it's not for a long time?"

Grace laughed, _"Then you'll have a tiny fraction of an idea what Megan went through with your brother. Can you imagine?"_

Chloe groaned, thinking of the eight-ish years Megan dated Oliver waiting for him to pop the question. "That sounds like torture."

_"And yet, you and your brothers told me I was nagging him when in reality I was just thinking of her. Poor girl."_

Chloe recognized that "I was right" tone instantly, and it brought a smile to her face. "Yeah, well, I might be the next poor girl you need to defend."

_"I doubt it. Beca is completely in love with you. Just give it a little more time. You guys are just hitting a year... come talk to me after three or four more and then you can complain."_

Chloe felt her stomach drop at the thought of waiting three or four more years. She knew it was selfish, but she didn't want to wait that long.

Grace must have sensed her apprehension, because her next question was like being doused in cold water. _"Chloe, are you willing to wait until Beca's ready?"_

She answered immediately, not even needing to consider her answer. "Yeah, of course I would wait. It might kill me," she joked, hearing Grace laugh and make a comment about how dramatic she was on the other end. "I love her, mom. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I don't know how I'd survive waiting as long as Megan did, but for Beca I'd figure it out. She's worth it."

_"Then you've got nothing to worry about, Chlo. I don't think she'll make you wait much longer."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you thank you thank you to my beta Arsto for all her help and support with this story!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to read an


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekly update right on time folks. Enjoy!

* * *

 

Beca pulled into the parking lot of the bowling alley, wondering for the millionth time why she agreed to do this. Sure, she was kind of excited about seeing her friends for the first time in two years, Stacie not included, but bowling wasn't really her thing.

The whole thing had started with a group text from Stacie, saying it had been too long since they'd all hung out and asking who would be back in San Diego for the summer. Beca was stunned to watch as one by one they all replied yes, surprised when she found herself looking forward to seeing their crazy faces. Chloe was probably more excited for her than she was for herself, barely restraining herself from stealing Beca's phone and RSVP'ing for her.

So here she was, ambling up to the front door while still wondering if it was too late to bail. She yawned, feeling inexplicably drained. There was no excuse, considering Chloe had let her sleep in instead of waking her up for breakfast, probably giving her a pass since she was being social.

"Shawshank!"

A loud voice from behind her confirmed that yes, it was definitely too late to bail. Beca spun around to see Fat Amy jogging to catch up with her before giving up and slowing to a stop, leaning over with her hands on her knees.

"Slow your skinny butt down," she called out through her labored breathing.

Beca chuckled and reversed her direction, meeting her in the middle only to be lifted off the ground in a hug.

"Damn, you're even twiggier than before! Guess it's true all celebrities have eating disorders," Amy said, setting her back on the ground.

Beca rolled her eyes, replying, "Nice to see you too."

Fat Amy studied her, asking, "Where's legs?"

Beca frowned for a moment, before figuring out who she was talking about. "Oh, Stacie? No idea, she's meeting us here."

As if on cue, she saw Stacie's car zip into the parking lot out of the corner of her eye. The brunette jumped out, happily waving at them as she crossed the pavement.

"Fat Amy!" Stacie yelled, finally reaching her and giving the girl a hug. "How the fuck are you?"

"Crushing it, obviously." Fat Amy looked at Beca, saying, "Could have also gone with boobs."

Stacie moved to wrap an arm around Beca in a side hug, whispering, "Were you guys talking about my boobs?"

Beca shook her head no, to zero effect. "Of course not, Stace, that'd be super weird."

"Why? I talk about them all the time?" Stacie said, pushing them together for emphasis.

"Are you knocked up? They look even bigger than I remember?" Fat Amy accused, giving Stacie a stare.

"Who's knocked up? Hi ladies!" CR pushed her way into the group, her eyes wandering briefly to the way Stacie's cleavage was still on display.

"Oh my God," Beca muttered, shrugging out from under Stacie's arm and away from her chest.

"Good to know nothing's changed," Fat Amy cracked, giving CR a high five. "If I didn't know how hot Ms. Beale was, I'd probably bet these two were still getting horizontal. But she's a ginger with no soul, and Beca's probably too whipped to mess with that."

"Fuck you," Beca retorted. "Stacie and I have never slept together. And I am not whipped." It was added too late though, almost as an afterthought, and convinced no one.

Stacie snorted out a laugh and CR made a "wapushh" sound to go with the appropriate hand gesture.

"Aw, don't worry, Becs," Stacie said, wrapping her back in a hug.

CR nodded, adding, "Don't be ashamed! If I had someone as hot as Ms. Beale, I'd be whipped too."

Fat Amy looked over at that statement, asking, "What happened with Denise?"

"Didn't work out."

"Oh well, there are more crocs in the stream," Fat Amy said, giving her shoulder a pat.

Beca shook her head, saying, "Yeah, that's not a thing."

Stacie rolled her eyes, speaking at the same time, "That makes no sense. Crocodiles live in saltwater areas, not streams. And the saying is 'fish in the sea.'"

Fat Amy waved her comment away, saying, "I forgot she had the brains to go with the boobs."

Beca but in, saying, "Can we please stop talking about Stacie's rack?"

"Ooh, what did I miss? Did Stacie get a boob job? I can't believe you started girl talk without me." Nick appeared out of nowhere, bumping into the circle between CR and Stacie. After a brief inspection, he shook his head. "Nope, definitely not."

Stacie cocked an eyebrow, asking, "And how would you know?"

"I'm a dude," he replied, showing no hint of embarrassment. "I daydreamed about your rack for years in high school."

"Aww! That's so sweet!" Stacie gushed, giving him a hug. "You have changed though... bulk up much?"

Nick shrugged. "Side effect of school, but I love it there."

Fat Amy seemed to finally realize who he was. "Holy shit! I can't call you scrawny Harry Potter anymore."

"Yeah, I keep it shorter now," Nick said, scratching the back of his head that was now cut in a military fashion, shaved short on the sides and a little longer on top.

Beca looked at him closely, already feeling regretful at how they'd let their friendship disappear. He noticed her look, crossing the circle to give her a hug.

"Hey shorty," he teased, and she sighed in relief, hugging him back.

"Did you get taller?" Beca looked up in response, remembering it being easier to reach his neck.

He nodded," Yeah, a few more inches. You've stayed the same, though."

They broke apart in time to see Benji and Emily walking up hand in hand, much to Beca's surprise. She figured that the relationship wouldn't last with Benji gone at college, and hadn't noticed Emily on the group text Stacie had sent out. Though now that she thought about it, there was that random number she'd chalked down to being one of Fat Amy's professed super hot boyfriends.

"Hey guys!" Benji greeted them, letting go of Emily's hand to do some sort of weird handshake turned bro-hug with Nick. It was so out of character for the Benji she remembered, and she was stunned how normal it appeared. Something had really loosened the boy up, be it Emily or college or some other unknown.

"Oy, legacy! How's Barden without us?" Fat Amy asked curiously.

Emily stuttered for a moment after locking eyes with Beca, answering, "Good. It's good. It's school, so whatever. But I like it. Well, the people, not really the school part, but I have friends and classes are okay..."

"Breathe, Legacy," Beca said, the nickname rolling easily off her tongue, starting to worry the girl would hyperventilate. "Jesus, it hasn't even been a full minute."

"Yeah, totally. I know a real life star who single-handedly created her own sound... and we're friends. Totally normal."

Beca glanced at Stacie, who looked just as confused as she felt.

"Em, you know Beca. I mean, I know you were really excited about her helping with the choir this spring and all, but she's just our friend," Benji said calmly, shooting Beca an apologetic look.

Emily looked hesitantly at Beca, asking, "We're friends?"

Beca felt an incredible amount of pressure to say the right thing, which never ended well. "Yeah, of course. I didn't even know that was a thing." Nailed it.

Stacie chuckled at Emily's relieved look. "Okay, so now that we've established we're all still friends, let's bowl!"

They all trooped inside and approached the shoe counter. Fat Amy valiantly tried to convince Beca to pay ("You're not going to pay?", "I'm not paying for all you freeloaders... get a job."), but to no avail.

It only took a few minutes to get set up on a couple of side-by-side lanes, each of them carrying a goofy pair of shoes in one hand and a bowling ball in the other.

"Girls versus boys and Beca?" Fat Amy suggested, waggling her eyebrows at CR. "Losers buy food?"

"Wait, why am I on the boys team?" Beca complained.

Stacie gave her an obvious look before gesturing at her chucks, jeans, and blue plaid shirt, then pointing at Nick. Beca glanced down and then over at Nick, realizing their outfits were almost identical, except the boy's plaid shirt was red and left unbuttoned over a white shirt with "ARMY" stamped across the front.

"You know, it all seems so obvious now," Nick commented with a laugh. "I probably should have known back then you weren't into guys."

Fat Amy shook her head at his words. "You must have been the only guy in school who didn't know. All the girls definitely did."

Beca glared at her, asking, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Stacie grinned, chiming in, "It's a compliment, Mitchell. You were just oblivious to most of the girls at school that wanted to get in your pants."

Beca looked blankly around at the sea of nodding heads that belonged to Stacie, CR, and Fat Amy. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah, Becs," CR laughed. "You usually stayed away from girls at school, so it wasn't much of an issue."

Beca knew that to be true, having early on adopted a look but don't touch policy at school. It made it a lot cleaner when she broke things off before they really got started. The only girl at Barden she'd fooled around with was Zoey, and it had ended badly between them when Beca told her she wasn't looking for anything serious. It had been rough for several months at school until summer break, and Beca had been relieved to find out she moved away before the start of sophomore year.

"With good reason," Beca said, sitting down and kicking off her chucks, slipping on the borrowed shoes.

"Okay," Stacie said when everyone had their shoes on and was ready to go. "Girls on lane 5, boys and Beca on 6. Since we have one more person, I'll add an extra player on your side and you guys can take turns or something."

Nick scoffed, "Whatever. We can beat you ladies three on four."

Beca's eyebrows rose, elbowing him in the stomach as she said, "He's delusional. If anything we need the extra player."

"Make more guy friends," came Stacie's quick retort. "Amy, you're up first."

"Aww yeah, watch out, fat power coming through," the blonde said, moving her neck from side to side.

Beca held back a laugh as she watched Amy grab her bright pink ball and throw it straight into the gutter. "On second thought, maybe this will work out just fine," she teased, earning a middle finger from Stacie.

* * *

The girls ended up victorious by a wide margin, due in no small part to Benji's inability to hold firm against his girlfriend. Beca shook her head in disbelief as they made their way to the snack bar, completely on Nick's side as he had some choice words for his friend.

"Dude, you're beyond whipped. You only threw three balls that actually hit the pins," Nick complained, throwing his hands up. "Even Beca did better than that."

"Hey! I never claimed to be good at bowling," Beca defended, pulling some cash out of her pocket. "Don't worry, guys, I'll get this."

Benji at least looked appropriately shameful. "Sorry. I'll play better next time."

"Yeah, when it doesn't mean anything," Nick teased, giving him a light punch to the shoulder.

"You talk a big game now, but we'll see how the tables turn when it's you that's trying to impress a girl," Benji shot back, looking at Beca for help. "Right, Becs?"

Beca shrugged at him, replying, "Usually turns out alright for me either way. Even when Chlo's pissed at me, a song or two usually flips the mood pretty fast. You know... famous singer and all that jazz."

Benji shook his head. "That's... that's not fair," he said lamely.

Nick grinned at his friend, saying, "It's okay, I forgive you dude. But only because Beca's buying, and I'm sure Fat Amy will astound all of us with how many nachos she eats."

"Maybe, but it's Stacie you should be worried about," Beca mumbled as the line slowly moved towards the counter. "Girl can eat like a fucking sumo wrestler, I swear."

When they finally reached the register, Beca had barely opened her mouth to start ordering when the boy's eyes grew wide and a look of disbelief crossed his face.

"Are you... by any chance, are you Beca Mitchell?" He asked, glancing at Nick and Benji standing on either side of her.

Beca didn't feel like dealing with the craze that would happen if all the kids in the place figured out she was here. Thinking quickly she gave him a smile and a shake of her head, saying, "No, sorry, but I get that all the time. I don't think I look anything like her."

Beca turned to look at Nick, asking, "Do you think I do?"

She was glad Nick was on the same page as her, answering with a straight face, "Eh, not really. Maybe... maybe a little."

Beca shrugged and turned back to the kid, who was now wearing his disappointment all over his face. "Anyways, can I get a couple of pepperoni pizzas, five hot dogs, three nachos, and seven drinks." She turned cheekily to the boys, joking, "What do you guys want?"

They both laughed as she handed the kid cash, glad that their massive order had completely distracted him from speculating further on her identity. The three friends managed to carry all the drinks back to the lanes, knowing it would be at least a few minutes before their food was ready.

"Bec, that was just mean," Nick said with a laugh, looking over his shoulder at the kid.

Beca scoffed, "Whatever, dude. You have no idea what would have happened if the people in this place figured it out. We'd have to leave. Sometimes it's nice to be no one again."

Benji nodded, "I get that. Probably gets annoying when you can't go anywhere public without getting mobbed."

"The hard part is how to convey that memo without coming across like a dick. I mean, they're my fans and I have a job because of them, but at the same time they can be fucking crazy. Zero concept of personal space or the fact that I'm just trying to go grocery shopping," Beca replied, setting the drinks down on the little table behind their lane where the rest of the girls were waiting.

"You know that doesn't count as food, right?" Fat Amy demanded, looking at each of them. "Just because you twigs don't need to eat doesn't mean the rest of us have to suffer."

Beca rolled her eyes. "Chill out, the food's coming. Then we can all get bowling alley food poisoning together and bond even more."

Emily shook her head no to that statement. "I'll pass on that, actually. The food poisoning part. Sounds awful."

"More for me then," Stacie grinned, giving Beca a wink.

"Watch it legs," Fat Amy said, sending her a serious look. "I'll fight your skinny ass for her share."

CR quipped from her seat nearby, "Girl fight!"

Beca held her hands up, looking between the two friends, saying, "No one's fighting anyone. We can always get more food."

Fat Amy nodded, pacified by the simple statement. "Okay."

"Okay," Beca said doubtfully, looking at the relaxed way the blonde sat back down in her chair and slurped her soda. "That's it?"

"Yeah... pretty much," Fat Amy answered, content.

After a moment of silence, Stacie suggested they start bowling the second game while they waited for the food to be ready. Everyone agreed, and decided to keep this one a friendly matchup.

Beca sat down next to CR in the little bowling area away from the table, asking, "How've you been, dude? How's good old Barden U?"

"It's cool," CR answered, giving her a wink. "Lotta good looking girls in college. I'm majoring in business with a minor in music theory, and I really like it so far."

Beca grinned, saying, "Gonna run the music world someday?"

CR nodded, returning her grin. "Hell yeah. I'm not sure what I want to do yet, but I know it involves music. Maybe you can give me some ideas sometime."

"Yeah, of course," Beca answered immediately. "Call me anytime you want to chat. I could probably put you in touch with the right people."

She watched CR get up to bowl, looking around at the odd group of friends having such a good time. Beca had forgotten how fun it was to hang out with them, and just be normal for a change. For so long she always had to be on, everywhere she went there were people looking at her or judging her or trying to take her picture. Every movement studied, every decision analyzed, and the carefree feeling she had right now was something she wanted to savor. These were her real friends, the ones who accepted her as is and didn't treat her differently based on who she'd become.

"Why so deep in thought Shawshank?" Fat Amy asked, plopping down beside her holding a hot dog in one hand and two pieces of pizza stacked on top of each other creating some sort of pizza sandwich in the other.

Beca shrugged, still staring at the pizza she was holding.

"Hey, knock it off," Amy said, taking a huge bite out of the slices. "Ge yoo mmnnn zzza."

Beca laughed, nodding as she stood up and ventured over to their table that was now covered in food. She was glad Chloe had pushed her to come today, and even more glad that it was as if no time had passed. Like it was the day after graduation and they were all just hanging out like normal. She missed it... a lot. More than she could have possibly realized.

Nick stepped up beside her, carefully picking up a hot dog from the pile. "It's really good to see you again, Becs. I was sad when we stopped texting," he admitted, before eating about half of the hot dog in one bite.

Beca chuckled at him, abandoning the food to wrap her arms around his waist in a moment of affection that surprised herself as much as him. "I missed you too."

It was true, she missed his friendship a lot. They'd gotten pretty close in the short amount of time they had senior year, and now Beca knew almost nothing about his life outside of the fact he seemed to be enjoying West Point.

"Still set on joining the Army?" Beca asked curiously, opting for pizza instead of the hot dogs or nachos covered in cheese sauce. She watched him nod, mouth still full of his giant bite. "I don't know how you're not terrified."

Nick finally swallowed, taking a sip of his drink before answering, "Who says I'm not?"

Beca eyed him, asking, "Then why do it?"

"Someone's got to," he replied nonchalantly, sizing up his next bite. "Also, the things that scare us the most are often the most rewarding. Don't you agree?"

Beca remained silent, thinking back to how terrified she was to sign with BMR and move to Nashville and basically start a new life all alone. It had definitely been rewarding, but she wasn't sure it was exactly the same thing.

"Maybe," she said slowly, still studying him. He didn't seem to have any hesitations or regrets, instead exuding a confidence in who he was and the choice he'd made. "How's your mom?"

"She's good," Nick answered with a broad smile. "She's come to terms with my decision and supports me, but I think that might be because I've still got time before there's a possible deployment. It's not like you graduate and they ship you out the next day."

"Becs! It's your turn!" Benji called over to them, proud of having knocked down eight pins that time.

Beca gave Nick an apologetic smile, promising to finish their chat later before spinning around and making her way over to the lane.

* * *

"I need to tell you something."

Beca flopped down on the grass under her favorite tree, enjoying the shade on such a hot summer day. She took a sip of her milkshake while Stacie settled down beside her, looking around at the familiar campus that was now empty of all students for the summer.

They'd wrapped up bowling with another victory for the ladies, although Beca, Benji, and Nick had made a better effort the second time around. It had been a great time catching up, and they'd all promised to make the effort to get together more often the rest of the vacation and during the future summer and holiday breaks. Beca also had a lunch date with Nick in a few weeks, promising to bring Chloe so he could finally meet her, not having taken her class senior year.

"Well, spit it out," Stacie said after a minute, looking at her expectantly.

Beca took a breath, unsure of exactly what to say. "So... Chloe's birthday was a couple of weeks ago."

Stacie sat up a little, asking, "Did you blow it? Did you buy her an appliance? Or worse, a gift card?"

"No, but thanks for the vote of confidence," Beca retorted, giving her friend a glare. "Anyways, I don't really know what happened. I flew her best friend here to spend the day with her, cooked dinner, set up a romantic pillow picnic thing in the apartment, and had The Princess Bride ready to go in the DVD player. That we didn't end up watching... thank God."

"Not seeing the problem, Becs. What'd you give her as her present?"

Beca answered, "Well, besides flying Jess in and all the rest of that, I made her one of those fortune teller things, except truth or dare style and kinda dirty?"

Stacie laughed, "I'm so proud of you. Girl after my own heart."

"Yeah, and it was all about getting her a little worked up and at the same time kinda forcing me to be open about stuff and tell her things she wants to know about me," Beca explained.

"Sounds sweet. Still not seeing the problem."

"It was going fine until one of the questions... I actually thought that was one of the best ones. It just said, ask me anything, you know, kinda like a free space?" Beca said, looking up at the sky. "And outta nowhere she... she asked me to marry her."

Stacie shot straight up, barely holding onto the cup in her hand. "What?!"

Beca groaned, "I know! And of course I reacted horribly. I thought she was joking, and then she clearly wasn't and I stuttered like an idiot for a second, and then she said she was kidding and it was just payback for when I fake proposed at Christmas."

"You sound insane right now," Stacie said, looking at her curiously. "So which was it, serious or a joke?"

"I really thought it was a joke, especially since she was so super serious and then broke out laughing at me in my panic, which wasn't cool," Beca said defensively with a shake of her head. "Things were fine after that and we had a really good night, until I woke up and she wasn't in bed with me. I was about to go find her, but I heard her talking to her mom in the other room..."

Stacie didn't move except to raise her eyebrows, waiting for Beca to finish speaking.

"She was definitely serious. She wants to marry me, Stace, and she's worried that I'll make her wait forever, or that I've changed my mind or some crazy shit like that," Beca said, looking down at her feet. "I think she was hoping I was gonna propose as her birthday present. Now that I think about it, she looked kinda disappointed for a second when I pulled the fortune teller out of my pocket."

Stacie hummed thoughtfully, taking her time to process the story. "Do you want to marry her? I figured you'd be over your commitment issues by now."

Beca rolled her eyes, answering, "Of course I want to marry her. We just bought a house for Christ's sake, but I'm trying not to rush it. We've really only been together for a year, and I've still got a lot of commitments and responsibilities and tours coming up, and I don't want us to jump into a marriage we aren't ready for."

"We or you, Bec?"

She sighed, the answer on the tip of her tongue. "Me, I guess," she said quietly. "I want to marry her, Stace, I do, but I'm twenty. I can't even go to a bar and buy a drink. How am I supposed to be a wife? I still have three, four, five tours left... maybe more. How am I supposed to be there for her when I'm gone for months on end?"

Stacie argued back playfully, "You do the best you can when you're apart, and you're here when you can be. Chloe knows what she's signing up for... you were on tour all last fall. The age thing has always been there and always will be, it'll just matter a hell of a lot less in six months. Don't overthink it."

Beca shook her head. "You're right. I hate that you're always fucking right. It's super annoying."

"Thanks," Stacie said cheekily, winking at her. "Look, you know you want to marry her and spend the rest of your lives making everyone else around you nauseous with how adorable you are, so does it really matter when forever starts?"

"No..." Beca paused, thinking about her best friend's advice. "No, I guess it doesn't."

"Hey, it doesn't have to be tomorrow either, Becs," Stacie added, noticing the look on the shorter girl's face. "Just keep an open mind, is all. You are right that you've only been together officially for a year. And Chloe is a little older than us, so she's probably feeling that baby urge thing they talk about."

Beca laughed out loud, saying, "You mean her clock is ticking?"

Stacie nodded, pointing a finger at her. "Yep, that's it. Her biological clock is ticking, Becs, and she wants you to make an honest woman outta her and then knock her up. You can accomplish at least one of those things."

"I could never picture myself having kids," Beca admitted, a smile still on her face from Stacie's last comments. "But I can with Chlo. She's gonna be an amazing mom."

Stacie pretended to throw up on the grass. "Your eyes almost turned into heart emojis there. It could have happened."

Beca flipped her off. "Fuck you. I can't wait for when your ass is pregnant and you're all glowy and happy and I can pay you back for this."

"Yeah yeah yeah, you're all talk Mitchell, always have been," Stacie teased. "It's way harder to picture you with kids."

"My goal will be not to screw them up," Beca replied with a laugh. "And to give them sugar and stuff so they like me better. Chloe will bring the hammer down and keep order. It's that teacher voice thing... super effective."

Stacie made a face at her, agreeing, "Definitely. Also, super sexy."

Beca smirked and reached over and tapped their styrofoam cups together as if they were saying cheers. "Won't argue with you there."

After a minute or two of silence, Stacie asked, "Does this mean we get to go ring shopping?"

"Sure, why not. I could use the help," Beca replied, thinking about what kind of ring Chloe would want. "Fuck, I need to talk to her parents. And figure out how to propose."

Stacie scooted closer until they were shoulder to shoulder with their backs against the tree. "You'll come up with something. For someone so grumpy, you're a total romantic."

"I know," Beca admitted, accepting that Stacie knew her too well to try and argue. "Tell anyone and die, Conrad."

* * *

Beca slipped her hand into Chloe's as they walked up the steps of the main resort building in Cabo San Lucas. She didn't realize how much she needed a vacation until they arrived, and now work was as far from her mind as humanly possible. The only thing she wanted at the moment was a fruity drink in her hand and to see Chloe in the skimpy bikini she'd picked out before they left.

A man was waiting for them near the front desk, beckoning them over immediately. A different member of the resort staff carried their bags in from the car, setting them carefully nearby. Beca gave them her name, pulling her passport and a copy of their reservation confirmation from her purse and placing them on top of the counter. It didn't take long to get checked in, and Beca winked at Chloe before dropping her sunglasses down over her eyes as they walked into the bright sunlight.

Beca snagged her hand before Chloe could follow the man carrying their bags over to a small golf cart, making the redhead turn and give her a curious look. "Want to grab a drink first?" Beca asked with a small smile, nodding in the direction of the bar.

Chloe tilted her head for a second, before catching on. "You can drink here!" She realized, laughing at the wink the brunette gave her. "Yeah, of course. Start this trip off right."

A golf cart drove them speedily down to their beachfront villa as they sipped on the fruity concoctions the woman behind the bar handed them, the man behind the wheel clearly having had plenty of practice. He carried their bags inside and Beca thanked him, slipping him a tip on his way out. She looked around for Chloe, noticing the redhead had wandered a little bit towards the beach, setting her drink down on a nearby table. Beca smiled and set hers down as well, coming up behind her and wrapping her arms around Chloe's waist.

"Whatcha think, babe?" She asked softly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

Chloe sighed, leaning back into her embrace. "I think it's paradise."

Beca chuckled, moving away to take her hand. "Come on. Let's check out our home for the next week."

Their villa was small and secluded and beyond stunning. Beca loved how open it was, providing a stunning view of the ocean. There were two main living areas, a kitchen, and a gorgeous stone bathroom with a full wall of sliding glass that led to a small outdoor relaxation area surrounded by trees. The back of the house that faced the ocean was wide open, without a wall in sight. The floor was raised slightly, with a built in pool that ran along the entire length or the back of the house. A small rectangle was cut into the floor so the water almost completely separated the bedroom from the rest of the living area, save for one small path leading to the kitchen. Beca noticed that the bedroom, if you could call it that, only had two out of four walls with curtains they could close for privacy. Thoughts immediately flashed through her mind of making love to Chloe while the warm breeze blew over them, biting her lip at the imagery.

It was clearly meant for two people, as there were sets of two everywhere. Two chairs under an umbrella on an area jutting out over the pool that looked out over the ocean, two chairs side by side on a different area near the pool for sun, and a table set for two just off the kitchen. It truly was paradise, and Beca made a mental note to send her parents a very nice thank you note. Sure, she could have planned and paid for this trip on her own, but it made her feel loved to know that her dad and Sheila were still looking out for her. They knew she needed this, and she did, even if she was only just now realizing it.

Chloe turned to her, wrapping her arms around her neck and kissed her slowly. "Thank you for bringing me here, Becs."

Beca sucked in a breath, all the visuals of her and Chloe on that bed running back through her mind. "There's no one else I'd want to share this with," she said honestly, her eyes never leaving Chloe's.

Chloe looked around, asking, "Just how private is this place?"

Beca shrugged, answering, "Completely while we're here in the villa. We just put up the do not disturb thing by the door and they'll leave us alone. Why?"

Chloe kissed her again, whispering, "Because I want to go swimming. With you."

"Is that something we should worry about?" Beca asked, a little confused. "Let me grab our swimsuits."

Chloe grabbed her hand as she made to walk over by the bed where the man had deposited their suitcases, forcing her to turn back to meet her gaze. Realization dawned on her as Chloe slowly stripped off her tank top, careful not to dislodge her sunglasses, and tossed it to the floor.

"We don't need swimsuits," Chloe implied, her tone low and full of desire.

Beca swallowed as she watched the redhead unbutton her shorts, easing them over her hips until they dropped to the floor. She was mesmerized watching Chloe strip, marveling at how she managed to stay so damn sexy. There were curves in all the right places, and Beca's eyes were drawn to the defined ridges of her abs. Beca licked her lips when Chloe's hands reached behind her for her bra, only for the redhead to turn away as she unclasped it.

"Go put up the sign, baby. Then meet me in the pool," Chloe called over her shoulder as her bra dropped to the floor.

* * *

Beca sat propped up by a couple pillows on the large bed looking out at the ocean, gently combing her fingers through Chloe's hair as the redhead lay comfortably against her stomach. It was only day three of their vacation in Mexico, but Beca was already contemplating never going home. Their little villa was fully stocked, and on the occasion they didn't want to cook or order room service, a chef would come down and cook for them. She knew they were getting spoiled, but what's the point of vacation if you weren't completely relaxed.

As if reading her mind, Chloe asked quietly, "Do we have to go home?"

Beca chuckled, replying, "I was just thinking the same thing. It's so peaceful here."

"I like being in this bubble with you," Chloe said, shivering a little when Beca let her fingernails scratch softly at her scalp and then trail down her back. "Mmm, that feels nice."

They'd barely bothered to get dressed so far, only doing so when it was absolutely necessary. Beca smirked as she moved her hand aimlessly over Chloe's back, relishing in her smooth skin. She loved to touch Chloe, and so far her girlfriend had been a more than willing recipient. They were so calm that Beca decided to bring up the one thing she'd been thinking about nonstop for weeks.

"Hey, Chlo?" Beca asked softly, waiting for the redhead's acknowledging hum to continue. "Did you think I was going to propose on your birthday?"

Chloe tensed up immediately, and Beca could have kicked herself for ruining the moment. She decided to come clean, partly to get it off her chest, but also to give Chloe some time to catch up with her train of thought.

"I... uh... I didn't mean to, but I kinda heard a little bit of your conversation with your mom," Beca admitted, still stroking over Chloe's back in the hopes it would help her relax and not freak out. "I woke up and you weren't there, and I wanted to make sure you were okay..." She trailed off, choosing her next words carefully.

"I don't want you to ever doubt how I feel about you. I love you so much, and I'm so happy with you, babe," Beca said, sighing in relief as the muscles in Chloe's back relaxed, wondering what the redhead was thinking. "I just don't want to rush into anything, especially when I'm still really tied down with the label and tours and shit... I didn't realize there was a reason to."

Chloe finally spoke, saying quickly, "There isn't, Becs. It's just me being insecure and selfish and stupid. I know that you love me and that we're happy together, and that there's no reason to rush into a marriage. That piece of paper won't change anything."

"Hey, you're not stupid, Chlo. You're not any of that." Beca hummed thoughtfully, waiting a minute before teasing, "I mean, it'll change some things. Like I'll probably start wearing a ring, unless you say I don't have to."

"You will definitely be wearing a ring," Chloe mumbled, shifting closer to slide a leg over Beca's.

"Why did you ask me that question?" Beca's curiosity got the better of her.

Chloe took a slow breath, explaining, "It all started with Jess showing me the engagement ring she picked out for Ash at lunch. We got on the topic of engagements and marriage and she asked if I was going to put a ring on your finger anytime soon. Then out of nowhere, Bree texted me that she saw you in a jewelry shop and it just spiraled out of control from there."

Beca frowned, thinking back to that day. "Ohh. Shit, I totally forgot about that. My dad and Sheila's anniversary is in the beginning of June, and he'd picked out a pair of earrings for her. You remember the ones she had on when they had us over for dinner last week?"

Chloe nodded, recalling the stunningly simple emerald and diamond studs Sheila had been wearing. "They were gorgeous. Really brought out her eyes"

Beca nodded, continuing, "Right, yeah, so he wanted it to be a complete surprise. So I actually paid for them and picked them up, and he paid me back after since Sheila does all their finances. What was Posen doing there? I didn't see her at the store."

Chloe thought hard, answering, "Oh, I think she might have said she saw you leaving. Maybe she was out shopping or something."

"Ah, that makes sense. I guess I could have told you, but it never came up and I didn't think it was relevant. Just a favor for my dad," Beca shrugged. "I think I was more surprised than anything that you asked me. I always figured I'd be the one getting down on one knee."

"And why shouldn't I ask you," Chloe shot back, though Beca could feel the smile against her skin. "Would you say no?"

Beca scoffed, "I'm not a total idiot. I'd be the luckiest person ever if you proposed to me. I just... I'm sure this is something you've been dreaming about your whole life. I want to make all your dreams come true."

Chloe shifted to glance up at her, Beca recognizing the look instantly. It was the look Chloe gave her whenever she said something right, a combination of shining eyes and knowing smile, radiating love and lust all at the same time.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize how important this was to you," Beca murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

"Don't apologize," Chloe answered, kissing her back as she moved to straddle Beca's hips. "You're so good to me."

"I am, aren't I," Beca teased lightly, leaning back a fraction before kissing her again.

Beca slid her hands around the backs of her thighs and then up over her butt without breaking the kiss, pulling her until Chloe was seated in her lap. Their tongues twisted together, Chloe letting out a moan as her hips started to rock.

"Yes… you're so good to me, baby," Chloe breathed, connecting their lips again

Beca brought her hands around to Chloe's stomach, pressing flat against her skin moving up until she was cupping her breasts. Chloe broke their kiss at the sensation, letting out a whimper as she tried to catch her breath. Beca wasn't deterred though, moving her lips to Chloe's neck instead.

Beca let her fingertips move lightly over Chloe's breasts, teasing her as she kissed down her neck to her shoulder. She loved the way Chloe responded to her touches, arching her back trying to get even closer to the brunette, muttering just how good Beca was to her.

When she finally reconnected their lips, Chloe responded hungrily, dominating the kiss as she hooked her arms around Beca's neck. Beca let her take control, busying herself with her hands still on Chloe's breasts, brushing the pads of her thumbs over her nipples.

Chloe sighed into her mouth, sinking down further in her lap, seeking out contact where she needed it most. Beca's hands wouldn't let her press forward enough, keeping that pleasurable contact just out of reach until her girlfriend let out a frustrated groan.

Beca smirked against her lips, causing Chloe to bite down on her bottom lip, giving it a tug to let her know just how funny she thought it was. She wasn't sure how long they'd been kissing, only that she never wanted to stop. Thinking back to their first kiss, Beca never dreamed their relationship would progress to this point, where she would feel this comfortable with someone, never mind someone as incredible as Chloe.

She slid her hand down to Chloe's thigh, resting it there for a minute until Chloe impatiently shifted lower to give her a hint. Moving her fingertips higher, she felt Chloe's arousal before she even reached the apex of her thighs, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It still blew her mind that she could draw this level of reaction from the redhead, causing her own arousal to spike at the knowledge that Chloe wanted her.

"Fuck, Chlo," Beca murmured, letting her fingers trail through the wetness on the inside of her thighs as Chloe's hips jerked at each touch.

"Bec…" Chloe whimpered, one hand tangling in her brunette locks. "I need you…"

Beca felt her trembling with desire, knowing Chloe was almost at her breaking point. Deciding not to tease her further, Beca let her fingers move purposely up between her legs, sliding easily over her clit. Chloe let out a strangled noise at the sudden contact, pulling away for a split second before dropping her hips back down against Beca's fingers.

Beca placed random kisses over Chloe's shoulder and the tops of her breasts, adjusting slightly to slide a finger inside her. She wasn't sure Chloe had ever been this turned on, a second finger joining the first with ease.

"Fuck you're so wet, Chlo," Beca mumbled, leaning back a little as Chloe adjusted and started to ride her fingers, not waiting for Beca to increase the pace. Beca stared shamelessly as Chloe braced her hands on her shoulders and moved her hips rhythmically, her eyes alternating between the hypnotic movements of her hips to the way her breasts bounced and begged for her attention. It was in a word, sexy, and Beca was completely content to let Chloe take what she so clearly needed.

"Touch me."

It was more of a command than a request, and it jerked Beca out of her trance-like state into immediate action, pressing her thumb against Chloe's clit and moved her other hand to Chloe's breast, cupping it firmly and giving the redhead another jolt of pleasure.

The effect was instantaneous as Chloe let out another loud moan, her breath coming in shorter gasps letting Beca know she was close. Beca added a little more pressure to her clit, hitting it just right to push Chloe over the edge with a keening cry, her forehead dropping to Beca's shoulder as her body was flooded with pleasure.

They stayed that way for a few minutes; Chloe's panting breaths mixing pleasantly with the gentle breeze coming off the ocean. Beca stroked her hand over Chloe's back waiting patiently for her to recover, surprised that her own arousal was muted for the moment. Something about the way Chloe had needed her and was so desperately clinging to her made her want to wrap her arms around the redhead and never let go.

In that moment, Beca wasn't sure why she wanted to wait to get married. Chloe was it for her, she knew that like she knew her own name, and it really was only a matter of time. The simplicity of it made her feel slightly foolish, making up her mind on the spot. She was going to ask Chloe to marry her, and that single thought had her grinning like an idiot.

"What's so funny," Chloe murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck.

Beca sighed at the affectionate touch, answering, "Nothing, babe. Just happy right now."

Chloe's lips never paused, kissing a slow pattern down to her chest as her hands pushed Beca to lie back against the pillow.

"Let me make you happier."

Beca felt her arousal come rushing back, closing her eyes as the visual of Chloe rocking in her lap from moments ago flooded her mind. The first touch of Chloe's mouth between her legs had one hand gripping the sheets and the other sliding into red curls, holding on desperately as Chloe made good on that promise.

* * *

"I've changed my mind."

Chloe turned to face her, giving her a look with her hands on her hips that Beca found incredibly sexy.

"Yeah, I think we should definitely abandon this idea and go back to the villa," Beca nodded, her eyes roaming over Chloe in her skimpy bikini.

"Beca Mitchell, we are not spending our entire time here in bed," Chloe retorted, holding firm. "This will be fun!"

Beca argued back, "Hey, we haven't been in bed the whole time. We went down to the beach the other day, and we spent some time in the pool and in the shower."

Chloe rolled her eyes, turning and gesturing out at the ocean behind her. "That doesn't count."

"You weren't complaining at the time," Beca mumbled, knowing she was about to lose this fight. Well, it wasn't really a fight, but Chloe was hot when she got a little riled up and Beca might have an ulterior motive or two for occasionally pushing her buttons.

"Quit complaining and let's go. The sooner we get out on the water, the sooner you'll start having fun," Chloe reasoned, her tone final.

Beca sighed as the redhead turned and grabbed the large board, walking out into the calm water past the waves enough to hop on and stand up, paddle in hand. It was Chloe's idea to take advantage of some of the activities the resort offered, whereas Beca was completely serious about her desire to become hermits inside their villa. With a shake of her head, she picked up the board and large paddle and waded into the water.

She made it past the crashing waves to where they just gently rolled past, hesitating before climbing on the board. Chloe had made it look so easy, but she had a feeling it was more difficult than that.

"Now just get on the board and stand up," Chloe called, from a little further out, paddling smoothly as if she'd been doing it her whole life.

Beca muttered, "Sure, just hop on like I was born paddle boarding. Right."

She sort of belly flopped onto the board in an uncoordinated motion, praying that Chloe wasn't watching her. She was... of course. Beca carefully got on all fours, before slowly standing up and raising her fists triumphantly.

Chloe cheered her success. "Now just grab your paddle and get over here!"

Shit. The paddle was still laying flat along the board. Beca took a moment to get used to the feel of the board lightly rising and dropping under her feet with the rolling waves, finally feeling confident enough in her balance to lean down and retrieve the paddle. Just as she got her fingertips to it, a larger wave rolled under her almost making her lose her balance.

"Fuck!" Beca cursed, thankful to still be standing. Chloe was going to owe her big for this adventure. She grabbed the paddle and stood upright, breathing a sigh of relief. Okay, that wasn't so bad. Just as she let her guard down to celebrate again, this time with paddle in hand, another wave rolled under her and made her lose her balance, sending her toppling off the board into the water.

"God dammit!" Beca yelled once she broke the surface, grabbing for the board as Chloe's laugh carried over to her from where she was standing comfortably like some ocean goddess.

She was faster getting on the board a second time, determined not to fall in again, and managed to paddle her way over to Chloe. "When am I supposed to be having fun again Beale?"

Chloe reached out and grabbed her paddle to steady her, helping her find her balance again before leaning in for a kiss. "How about now?"

Beca kissed her again, waiting until Chloe let go of her paddle before giving her a shove that sent the redhead into the clear water with a shriek. "Yeah, I think it's starting to grow on me."

* * *

Beca leaned against the shower wall panting, watching Chloe exit through the glass door and wrap a towel around her body. There were so many thoughts and emotions running through her at that moment she just needed a second to catch her breath. Little shocks of pleasure were still zinging through her from the way Chloe had barged in to pin her against the wall, before dropping down and hitching one of Beca's legs over her shoulder, doing things with her mouth that should be illegal.

"Come on, baby! I want to have fun tonight!" Chloe called, dropping the towel as she left in the direction of the bedroom.

Beca bit back her response of "coming," chuckling to herself, knowing exactly what Chloe's reply would be.

She loved that Chloe kept her on her toes, never missing an opportunity to catch her off guard, but always in the best way possible. Chloe challenged her, pushed her to step outside of her comfort zone and try new things.

They'd spent the day doing a snorkeling tour of Cabo Pulmo National Park, which included swimming with baby sea lions that were so cute Beca thought her heart would explode. It had been amazing being in the water with all the different types of fish and sea creatures, Chloe always next to her pointing out some crazy looking fish as they wandered along the coral reef. The water had been pristine, and they were able to clearly see many of the different species that inhabited the reef.

Upon their return to the villa, Beca did some investigating into popular clubs nearby while Chloe jumped in the shower. Chloe had told her in no uncertain terms that she wanted to get Beca out on the town and especially on the dance floor at least once this trip, and Beca couldn't think of too many better visuals than her girlfriend moving her hips to a beat.

They traded places in the shower so Chloe could start getting ready. It hadn't been a full minute before Beca felt the redhead behind her, which ultimately led to her current state of bliss against the tile wall. She took a deep breath and grabbed the shampoo, quickly finishing her shower while glancing through the clear door at Chloe blow-drying her hair in the nearby mirror, not having bothered to get dressed.

Beca shut the water off and grabbed a towel, trailing her wet fingers low across Chloe's back as she walked past her causing the redhead to jump. She loved moments like this, when they were playful and relaxed and content. It was easy to be herself with Chloe and know that she was accepted and loved.

They had a late dinner at one of the resort restaurants before taking a cab to investigate the bar scene, hoping to find one or two of the ones recommended by the resort staff. It was a busy night as they strolled hand in hand along the street in search of a place that looked promising.

Chloe pointed at one club and Beca nodded, leading her over to join the short line waiting to get in. It only took a few minutes before they were inside, Beca heading straight for the bar to get drinks. They took in the scene at the club, Beca listening carefully to the DJ before coming to the conclusion he knew his stuff.

The music was good and she could tell that despite only being a few drinks in, Chloe was ready to dance. Beca reluctantly set down her glass and let Chloe drag her to the dance floor, perking up considerably when the redhead started to move. The song was one Beca didn't recognize with Spanish lyrics, but it only heightened the effect Chloe's dancing had on her. She loved that music was a universal language, and you didn't have to understand the words to be hypnotized by the way Chloe's hips were moving with the beat.

Beca wished she had another drink or two in her to loosen up even more, but it turned out not to matter when Chloe draped her arms around her neck and slotted a leg between hers. She always felt a little awkward dancing, except that one time at prom with Nick although that had everything to do with him and zero to do with her, but tonight she felt completely comfortable with Chloe in her arms. They moved together seamlessly, the teasing friction a promise of what was to come later.

The song changed with an absolutely filthy bass drop, and Chloe spun around in her arms, pressing back into her without missing a step. Beca let her hands start to roam over Chloe's hips and down her thighs, feeling the heat rise between them.

Beca wasn't sure what time it was, but they'd been dancing long enough to be hot and sweaty and incredibly turned on. Chloe's lips had been glued to her neck for the past five minutes after tugging the strap of her shirt to the side. She wasn't fully prepared for Chloe to find her lips, giving her a searing kiss that only left one thing on her mind.

They stumbled off the dance floor and out into the night air before Beca finally got a good look at Chloe's eyes, darker than usual with arousal. Beca couldn't resist kissing her again, because they were young and in Mexico and if she didn't she thought she might die at the way Chloe was looking at her seconds before.

Chloe pulled back from her lips but made sure her body was molded to Beca's, letting her know exactly what she wanted. Beca quickly found a taxi to take them back to the resort, the only thing on her mind was getting back to the villa, hanging the do not disturb sign on the door, and revisiting each of Chloe's dance moves that night with far less clothes on.

* * *

The week flew by much too fast as far as Beca was concerned, seeming like they arrived only yesterday as she finished packing the last items back into her suitcase. She looked up to see Chloe exiting the bathroom with her makeup bag, doing a quick last sweep of the villa before they left. It had been a perfect week of relaxation and fun, but now it was time to go back to reality.

"I can't believe we have to leave already," Chloe sighed, nestling the case neatly in her bag and zipping it shut.

Beca nodded, looking out over the water. "We can come back someday, babe. On a positive note, can you believe our house is almost done?! Only a few more weeks until we can move in."

Chloe grinned, thinking about how much time they'd spent with the interior designer picking out tiles and fixtures and paint colors. "I can't wait to see it, and move in, and live a house with you," she said happily, moving to Beca's side and leaning against her.

"Me either. It's gonna be amazing," Beca affirmed, slipping an arm around Chloe's waist. "For a few weeks anyways before I have to leave."

Chloe sighed at that, and Beca knew they were equally unhappy about the start of Beca's next tour. There was nothing she could do, though. It had been eight months since her last tour wrapped and a year since her second album was released. The label insisted, and Beca had argued late into many nights with Scotty and Kommissar about the timing, finally reaching an agreement that a second fall tour was the best for everyone. Chloe would be back at school and busier than ever with trading one of her freshman classes for a third AP one.

"It'll be okay, Chlo. I'll fly you out at least once a month wherever we are," Beca promised. "Or I'll fly home when I've got a longer break between stops. It won't be months on end like last time."

Chloe nodded, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "I know. I'll just miss you."

Beca slipped her hand into Chloe's, admitting, "I'll miss you and Zeus like crazy."

"Are you sure you want to leave him with me? He seemed to do alright on the road with you last time," Chloe asked, a knock on their door making them reach for their suitcase handles.

"I'm sure," Beca said confidently, starting towards the door. "It'll be better for him to stay in one place. The bus got really cramped. I'm excited to see him tonight, though."

She opened the door and greeted the staff member, stepping back as he took both of their suitcases and loaded them onto the little golf cart. There was a strange feeling of déjà vu as they got seated and he took off through the beautiful resort, sad to leave their villa behind. Beca felt Chloe grip her hand, and knew the redhead was feeling the same way.

"We'll come back," Beca whispered, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Chloe smiled, looking over at her. "Promise?"

Beca chuckled, realizing what Chloe wanted her to say. "I promise you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter in the books. None of this would be possible without my awesome beta, Arsto!
> 
> Shoutout to everyone who continues to bookmark, review, and/or leave some kudos on this story, and a giant WELCOME to the newcomers who are just stumbling upon this little world!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes out to the readers that requested more from Beca's sad album an eternity ago. I didn't forget!
> 
> Music:
> 
> Nothing's Forever – Jamestown Story
> 
> Weightless – All Time Low

* * *

Beca pulled up to the curb, grinning broadly at Chloe as she shut the engine off. Chloe wore a matching grin, clapping her hands excitedly as she hopped out of the car. Beca laughed as she opened the door, moving to Chloe's side with the keys still in her hand.

"Ready to see our new home?" Beca asked, lacing their fingers together.

Chloe nodded, moving in front of Beca to give her a kiss. "I'll love it no matter what, because you'll be in it with me."

Beca rolled her eyes, replying, "And the award for cheesiest statement of the year goes to..."

Chloe didn't let her finish, pressing their lips together again. By the time she pulled away, Beca's eyes were still closed and she was a little short of breath.

"You were saying?" Chloe teased, laughing at her expression.

Beca shook her head, mumbling, "That was just mean."

"You'll survive. Come on, I want to see my house!"

Beca gave in, taking her girlfriend's outstretched hand and walking alongside her to the door. She loved how excited Chloe was, knowing how it felt to own something, especially property. The feeling she had when she closed on her apartment in Nashville was indescribable, and this was so much better because it was the start of her life with Chloe.

They had worked extensively with an interior designer on the renovation, knowing there was some serious work to be done before they could move in. Despite closing on the house in the middle of June, it was now the second week of August and they were finally about to see the finished product.

A moving truck would be arriving soon, as Beca had refused to do more than pack up all their stuff into boxes. Chloe had agreed, only because of how much easier it would be without any of the heavy lifting. Beca was also relieved that most of the larger items were brand new and already inside the house. She'd offered all her friends a bribe of free pizza to help them unpack, but only Stacie and Nick had taken her up on it. Apparently not even pizza could motivate Fat Amy into actual physical labor.

Chloe bounced excitedly beside her as she stuck the key into the lock, turning it and pushing open the front door. They'd seen on a computer what a virtual illustration of the house would look like, but it hadn't done it justice. Beca's jaw dropped as Chloe froze beside her, both of them stunned at the transformation. Neither of them had visited the house after going through it with the designer to explain what they wanted and pictured for the home, both agreeing to be surprised at the finished product.

Shiny new hardwood floors spanned the entire main room and kitchen, accented by a beautiful rug that covered a majority of the living room. Beca's eyes were immediately drawn to the kitchen, which she'd admittedly had completely torn out and redone after the initial evaluation. Everything was light and bright and welcoming, and she shuffled slowly toward the back of the house to inspect it up close.

They'd decided to forgo having a formal dining area and table, instead opting for a large island with an eat-in bar and a smaller table on the right side of the kitchen that both had seating for four. It had been more money and more work, but it was love at first sight for Beca as she stood in the middle of the space knowing it was worth every penny. There were all new appliances to go with a beautiful tile backsplash that meshed the sandy color Chloe had picked out for the walls, along with matching granite countertops.

A peek out the back door window revealed a brand new deck, grill, and a large patio table with seating for eight. Off to the side was a small stone area with a fire pit surrounded by comfy chairs, which Chloe had desperately wanted. Something about romantic nights by the fire roasting marshmallows had Beca agreeing to her request without too much fuss.

Beca glanced to her right down the small hallway that led to the master bedroom, noticing the folding door had been replaced with a sliding one that was half open, revealing the new washer and dryer Chloe had picked out. She turned to see if the redhead wanted to explore their new space, only to find an empty room. Walking out of the kitchen, she realized Chloe was peeking into both of the guest rooms, empty of furniture, but looking as bright and clean as the rest of the house with the same new hardwood floors and fresh coats of paint. The joint bathroom between them had also been redone, slightly enlarged to fit a bathtub and a small linen closet.

Chloe turned back to her with tears in her eyes, and Beca wrapped her in a hug knowing exactly what she was thinking. For now, they would be filled with furniture from the apartment as a guest room and an office for Chloe to grade and Beca to work on mixes, but someday they hoped to turn at least one into a nursery.

"Someday, Chlo," she whispered, her hands rubbing gently over her back. "I can't wait to start a family with you."

Chloe sniffled and nodded, pressing a kiss to her neck before leaning back. "Want to go see our room?"

"Definitely," Beca agreed, holding her hand as they walked back through the kitchen and down the hallway.

It was just as stunning as the rest of the house, and they slowly moved into the space trying to look at everything all at once. While they were keeping the bed from the apartment to put in the guest room, Chloe had indulged Beca in buying all new furniture for their room. They'd chosen a light gray paint with a slightly darker accent wall behind the new king-size bed. The bed frame was black and there were matching night stands for each of them, along with a tall bookcase against the back wall that had a comfortable looking white plush chair on either side. The bedding was white with steel blue accents that reminded Beca of Chloe's eyes when she was feeling passionate about something, and there was a matching blue pillow on each of the reading chairs.

They moved down the narrow corridor and peeked into the walk in closet that was squeezed between the bedroom and the bathroom, and Beca held back a laugh at Chloe's excited gasp at the sheer size of it. She could admit it was huge, and had more than enough room for both of them. They continued on into the master bathroom, where Beca's eyes were immediately drawn first to the spacious shower stall with the double shower heads, and then to the large jacuzzi tub next to it.

The walls were painted a calming light blue-gray color, with white marble floors and countertops that held double sinks over light gray cabinets, and a gigantic mirror that spanned almost the entire wall. The shower stall was done in stunning tile with a full length glass door, and had a small bench built into the wall that backed up to the tub. Beca's mind was starting to run wild with ideas of ways to put that bench to good use.

It was Chloe's turn to read her mind as she felt arms circle around her from behind and a voice in her ear whisper, "I can think of a few things I want to do to you in that shower."

Beca shuddered, both at the words and Chloe's breath on her ear, suddenly wishing she hadn't asked Stacie and Nick for their help. She would much rather find out exactly what Chloe was thinking about right now, and deal with unpacking tomorrow.

As if on cue, voices called out from somewhere near the front of the house.

"Beca?!"

"That's Nick," Beca mumbled, distracted as Chloe's lips had started to wander over her neck.

"Beca! Quit making out with Chloe and get out here. The moving truck just pulled up!"

Beca sighed, dropping her head forward as Chloe chuckled against her skin. "And that's Stacie."

Chloe moved out from behind her. "Come on, Becs. We can explore the shower later... after everyone leaves."

They walked back out into the main area to find Nick and Stacie looking around impressed.

"Damn, Becs, this place looks nothing like the photos you showed me," Stacie said, moving to give her a hug. "I'll admit, I was a little nervous to come here after that."

Beca rolled her eyes as she returned the hug, replying, "You didn't honestly think we would leave it like that. It was horrible."

Nick looked at them curiously, then glanced around at the living room and kitchen again. "How bad could it have been? It looks like a brand new house to me."

Chloe shook her head, answering, "It was dirty and run down is all. And had carpet that might have been a hundred years old."

They were interrupted as one of the movers knocked on the open door, asking, "Is it alright for us to start bringing stuff in?"

Beca exchanged glances with Chloe, who nodded and joined the man on the way back to the truck.

"So what do you we have to do to get pizza?" Nick asked with a grin.

Chloe came back inside at that moment, followed by three guys lugging boxes and pointed them towards the kitchen. "Start unpacking the kitchen stuff," she directed, turning her attention to Beca. "Don't forget a veggie for me?"

Beca saluted her, replying, "Never."

Chloe laughed at her antics, detouring to give her a quick kiss before moving to open the doors to the two bedrooms.

The process went fairly smoothly as Chloe instructed the movers where to put boxes while Beca, Stacie, and Nick worked on unpacking them. They finished with the kitchen in no time, easily stacking dishes, cups, bowls, pots, pans, and other cooking supplies in the empty cupboards. They moved on to the guest room while Chloe made sure the furniture in the office was set up correctly, with a desk on one side of the room and the couch, chairs, and coffee table from the apartment on the other side.

Beca took a break to order the pizza before rejoining her friends to unpack the boxes in the living room full of framed photos and other smaller decorations that made the place feel more like home. She looked up at Stacie's laugh, seeing her friend holding a more recent photo from Mexico.

"Bec, is this from a magazine?"

Beca dropped the two dog toys she was holding and crossed the room to get a better look at the picture. It was surprisingly good for being a candid shot snapped by paparazzi, the photo showing her and Chloe walking hand in hand on the beach smiling at each other.

"Oh yeah," she agreed with a chuckle. "We saw it when we got back and Chloe loved it so much she had it framed." As she was heading back to the box she was working on, she commented, "Didn't realize you were stalking my paps sightings, Stace."

Stacie immediately replied, "Oh, I'm not. Nick's mom does religiously though. It's really sweet."

It took a second for those words to sink in, Beca snapping her head up as soon as it hit her. "Since when do you hang out with Nick's mom?"

Beca's eyes widened and she broke into a grin and the slightly panicked looks her friends were exchanging. "Holy shit! You two are together! Since when?"

Nick sighed and shook his head, gesturing for Stacie to explain. "I'll go see if the guys need help with anything in the truck."

Beca waited expectantly, almost doing a double take when Stacie blushed a little before explaining. "Okay, so it just happened this summer. Like, we chatted and texted after graduation, but nothing serious you know, just staying in touch, and then we got together for lunch a couple days after we all went bowling and I mean, hello, have you seen how good he looks? We both agreed to keep it chill and it's just a summer thing, but I think I like him, Becs. Like, really like him!" After a moment, Stacie looked at her and asked hesitantly, "You're not mad, right?"

"Why would I be mad?" Beca asked, genuinely confused. "I'm super happy for you, dude! Nick's great... you know I like him. Well, like a brother or something, since obviously I'm gay and like ridiculously in love with Chloe."

Stacie nodded, the smile returning to her face. "It's really nothing serious though. We've already agreed that it's over at the end of the summer. I mean I'm staying here in Cali and he's going back to New York, so it's not realistic to stay together. What?!"

Beca laughed at her, shaking her head. "I've just never seen you ramble like this about... well anyone. Except maybe me," she added with a wink, moving back to give her friend a hug. "I'm happy for you. I mean it must at least be a little serious if you're spending time with his mom."

"More like we're both living at home for the summer and there are only so many places to go," Stacie corrected with a shrug. "I think his mom had hoped you two would start dating, hence the borderline stalking of your magazine articles and photos."

"Yeah, well, that was never gonna happen," Beca replied. "Besides, I'm sure she loves you already. If I remember right, she was really nice."

Stacie agreed, "I love her. She's so sweet, and yeah, we've gotten along well so far."

Nick poked his head back in the front door with an update. "So all the boxes are inside and the truck just left and I've got pizza out here. Is it safe to come inside?"

"Yeah, dude, of course," Beca said, turning to find Chloe emerging from their bedroom at the perfect time. "Ready to eat, babe?" At her nod, she added casually, "Oh, and Stacie just let it slip that these two are dating."

Chloe smiled at Stacie, saying, "That's great! Congrats guys."

They decided to eat on the back deck, which of course had nothing to do with their fear of Chloe's wrath following a pizza incident on their brand new carpet or furniture. Nothing at all to do with it.

"Chloe, why did you get that paps photo framed?" Stacie asked, bringing the subject back up. "I'm only curious because I'm sure you have tons of photos of the two of you by now."

Chloe looked fondly at Beca, answering, "I don't know, something about how carefree and happy we look in it. We were so relaxed that day walking along the beach."

Nick spoke up, asking, "Didn't it bother you to find out that reporters were stalking you even on your vacation?"

Beca shook her head, answering, "No, they were actually pretty subtle about it. We didn't even know until we got back."

"How did you find out?" Stacie asked curiously.

Beca realized far too late where the conversation was going, and before she could interrupt Chloe launched into the whole story.

"Well, this is actually a hilarious story," Chloe began, grinning at Beca before turning her attention to the other two. "Stacie, did Beca ever tell you she hired a publicist?"

The brunette shook her head as Beca attempted to cut her off, "Well, I did, and it's worked out great and I usually never see her... so kind of a boring story after all."

"Shut up, Mitchell," Stacie said, focused on Chloe's grin. "I already know I want to hear this."

* * *

_(flashback)_

_Beca stared at her phone, the frown on her face only deepening._

_"Wait, Scotty's coming here?" Chloe asked, interrupting her thoughts. "Now? Why?"_

_Beca locked the screen before shoving the device into her pocket, answering sarcastically, "Because apparently paps snapped a bunch of pictures of us in Mexico and are going to publish them in a magazine. It'll be a killer story about how a famous artist takes a fucking vacation."_

_They didn't have to wait long before there was a crisp knock at the door. Beca crossed the room slowly to answer it while Chloe finished cleaning up the kitchen from dinner. She was surprised to see Kommissar standing next to Scotty, raising an eyebrow at her manager before inviting them inside._

_"Uh, Chloe you remember Scotty, and this is my publicist, Kommissar," Beca said awkwardly, closing the door behind them._

_Chloe broke into a smile as she gave Scotty a hug, politely shaking Kommissar's hand before inviting them to sit down at the table._

_Once they were all seated, Beca looked around the room before asking, "Okay, so what's the big deal?"_

_Kommissar took the lead, reaching into her bag to pull out a folder and placed it in front of Beca. She flipped it open to find a bunch of candid photos of them on vacation, scowling as she looked through them._

_"Can we not have one fucking moment of peace," Beca muttered, irritated at being face to face with the evidence of how far the paps would go to stalk her. "How did you get these?"_

_"I made a deal with the journalist. I gave him a statement in exchange for copies of every photo he took," she explained in the same professional tone she'd gotten used to hearing._

_"And you believed him?" Beca asked, snapping the folder shut as she looked up at the blonde._

_Kommissar gave her an incredulous look. "Of course not. I told him he can agree and cooperate with me now, but if we see a new picture pop up anywhere he'll never get another quote from you again, let alone an interview. You can imagine it was an easy decision."_

_Beca sighed, admitting the woman had a point. No smart journalist would risk alienating her camp when she was clearly a star on the rise. "So what happens now? He can obviously still publish these, right?"_

_"Yes, of course. But he does it with our words instead of making something up on his own. I controlled the narrative to ensure he doesn't instigate any wild rumors about your trip. Those copies are yours to keep, as obviously I have no use for them," Kommissar finished, standing up to signal the discussion was over._

_Beca rolled her eyes, her voice thick with sarcasm as she said, "Geez, stay a while why don't you?"_

_The blonde looked down at her, answering, "I don't want to."_

_Scotty smiled at that, and even Chloe was struggling to hold back a laugh. The redhead regained her composure first, standing and saying, "Thank you for taking care of this. It was nice to meet you."_

_"You as well. I don't know how you live with her."_

_Beca stood up, angrily saying, "Hey, I'll have you know I'm great to live with, you... you gorgeous specimen!"_

_Three sets of eyebrows rose at her comment as Beca flushed, shaking her head as she sat back down in her chair. "Whatever, thanks for handling these photos."_

_"Just doing my job," was Kommissar's stiff reply, though Beca could swear a hint of a smile was playing at her lips. "I can see my way out."_

_With that, she picked up her bag and exited the apartment, leaving Beca, Chloe, and Scotty alone._

_Chloe spoke first, failing to keep the grin off her face as she asked, "Gorgeous specimen?"_

_"Shut up, Beale," Beca muttered, running a hand through her hair._

_Chloe looked at Scotty, who was already failing to hold in his laughter, and it only took another few seconds for the two of them to burst out laughing. Beca shook her head, standing up and heading into the bedroom, flipping them off on her way._

_"What just happened?" Chloe asked Scotty, who was still grinning ear to ear as he walked towards the door._

_"I'm not really sure," he answered. "It happened when they first met too. Beca said something about her being physically flawless, I think? She just gets under her skin a little, and it's hilarious, but she's completely professional and excellent at her job. It's a good situation. Beca needs someone who's not intimidated by her scowly demeanor."_

_Chloe laughed again, understanding exactly what he meant. "Thanks for helping with this Scotty. I'm sure we'll see you soon."_

_Chloe let the man out and locked the door behind him, moving into the bedroom to confront Beca, who was laying on her back on the bed covering her face with her hands. "Physically flawless? Gorgeous specimen? Should I be worried?" She teased, sliding onto the bed to straddle her hips._

_"Fuck you," was the response from behind Beca's fingers._

_Chloe smirked, reaching down to unbutton Beca's jeans, replying, "I'd rather fuck you."_

_Beca peeked out from behind her hands, asking, "You're not mad at me?"_

_"Why would I be mad? Should I be? Or should I be jealous about you calling another woman gorgeous? She is, by the way," Chloe commented, as if talking about the weather, sliding her hands up Beca's stomach under her shirt. "But I know you love me, and I trust you. I actually thought it was pretty funny."_

_Beca's eyes narrowed, replying, "I'm glad you think it's funny that I'm overcome with word vomit whenever she's around. It's just hilarious that I can't stop complimenting her. Fuck, she's so annoying."_

_Chloe shook her head as her nails scratched back down Beca's stomach. "I think you like her, and I know you respect her. She clearly knows what she's doing, otherwise you wouldn't have hired her."_

_Beca opened her mouth to reply, not expecting Chloe to drop her hips down suggestively with that look in her eyes. Her hands shot out to find purchase on Chloe's hips, changing tactics. "You clearly know what you're doing."_

_Chloe winked at her, moving her hands up over Beca's chest, quickly stripping her shirt off. "I know exactly what I'm doing."_

* * *

"Okay, okay, I think they get it," Beca interrupted, definitely not comfortable with sharing the intimate details of their sex life with Stacie and Nick.

Stacie laughed, teasing, "Aww, come on Becs, it was just getting good! How come you've never said that I'm physically flawless?"

Beca shook her head, standing up and leaving the table and heading inside. "I hate you all! Get out of my house," she demanded, but there was no heat behind her words.

Nick crossed his arms, calling after her, "Now is that any way to treat your best friends who just helped you move into said house? I don't think so."

Chloe rose as well, gathering up the paper plates and empty pizza boxes. "I'm actually on Beca's side this time. Not that I'm not appreciative of all your help, but because I want you to leave," she finished with a wink.

Stacie nodded, dragging Nick to his feet. "Come on, they want us to leave so they can have sex everywhere."

Nick grinned in realization, helping Chloe stuff all the trash into a large black garbage bag. "Right, we'll just... leave you to it, then," he said.

Beca walked them to the front door, hugging both and thanked them again for all their help. "Really, you guys are awesome and I'm super happy for you. We'll hang out before you go back to school."

She waved goodbye from the doorway, closing and locking it once they'd driven away, turning to find Chloe waiting for her in the kitchen. Shuffling over to her girlfriend, she leaned up and kissed her, asking, "Shower first?"

* * *

Beca shook her head at the sheer amount of food spread out on the kitchen bar, retreating out onto the deck to fire up the grill. Somehow she'd let Chloe talk her into throwing a housewarming party, tour kickoff party, and back to school bash for the teachers of Barden all in one. It was pretty much her worst nightmare, and the thought of having so many of her former teachers in her house was only manageable at the fact that her people promised to attend as well. In fact, they were all coming; her parents, Teddy and his wife, Scotty, Kommissar, and her entire band. They'd been in California for the second half of the summer anyways, rehearsing for the upcoming tour that was set to kick off next week.

On top of all that, Chloe's parents insisted on flying out to see their new home and had been staying with them for the past two nights. Beca loved Grace and Christian, and she was thrilled Chloe was so happy to have them visit, but their sex life had come to a screeching halt from the moment they walked through the door. It normally wouldn't be an issue... she was fine with abstaining for a few days, but Beca was leaving on tour and she had hoped to have a little more alone time with Chloe before they were forced into long distance and Skype dates and dirty late night phone calls.

Beca turned the little knob on the propane tank, flipped the knobs on the grill, and pushed the button to ignite the burners, satisfied when they whooshed to life. She lowered the heat and closed the cover, moving to uncover the platter of hot dogs, burgers, and brats sitting on the little shelf.

She smiled as she felt arms wrap around her waist, leaning back into Chloe as lips pressed against her neck. "Hey babe."

"I'm surprised you're so calm," Chloe said, resting her chin on the brunette's shoulder. "I figured you'd be freaking out by now."

Beca replied, "Is it too late to cancel? We could send everyone away and have our own party..."

Chloe laughed, shaking her head no. "It'll be fun, Becs. I work with these people. It's about time you actually got to know some of them."

"This will be okay, right? My band... the teachers of Barden... our parents..." Beca trailed off, thinking about how random the group was.

"It'll be fine. I'm actually kinda curious to see all these different people interact. Aren't you?" Chloe asked, stepping away to dig into one of the giant coolers filled with ice and drinks. "Thirsty?"

Beca nodded, moving to her side and grabbing a coke from the icy water, sighing in relief and waiting a few extra seconds before pulling the drink out. "I guess," she admitted, thinking about the different personalities that would soon be inhabiting their house. "You invited all the teachers?"

Chloe smiled, "Yep. And Dr. Williams and his wife."

"Awesome," Beca's tone was sarcastic as she popped open the can, frowning as a sharp pain radiated through her hand.

It didn't go unnoticed by Chloe, the redhead immediately looking concerned. "Becs?"

Beca sighed and shook her head, answering, "It's nothing, babe. I was up late mixing last night and my hands are a little sore. Happens all the time."

"Mm hmm," Chloe hummed, not looking at all convinced though she decided to drop it for now. "Be nice, Dr. Williams is my boss," Chloe reminded her with a pointer finger aimed at her chest just in time for Grace to step out onto the porch.

"Oh, I love this backyard, Chlo," Grace said, moving to slip her arm around her daughter. "Perfect for kids to run around in."

Beca coughed on her sip of soda, drawing the attention of both Beale women. Catching her breath, she just shook her head, mumbling, "Don't mind me."

Chloe rolled her eyes, turning back to her mom. "We aren't there yet, mom. You know that."

"Yes, dear, of course. I was just saying," Grace said, though her eyes still held a bit of mischief. "Beca, I'll send Christian out to help you with that grill."

Beca nodded, replying, "Thanks, I could use the help."

She loved Chloe's mother, but Beca definitely felt more of a connection to Christian. She liked his calm, quiet personality, and his eerily charismatic way of holding a conversation about anything. Beca opened the grill just as he stepped out onto the deck, and pointed at the coolers to let him know where the beer was. He gratefully grabbed one out, popping the top off with a smile.

"My wife said I should come out here and help you," Christian said, taking a sip of his beer. "Though from what Chloe's said about your cooking, I seriously doubt you need help."

Beca shook her head, answering, "It's much safer out here than in there."

Christian laughed, reaching over to clink his bottle with her soda can, agreeing with her. "Figured that out already, have you?" He asked, before helping her load the grill up with the first round of food.

"I'm not as dumb as I look," Beca joked, glancing around the yard as Zeus started barking furiously at a tree. "Now my mutt on the other hand..."

The faint sound of the front door opening had Zeus tearing for the back door and Beca scrambling to slam it shut just in time. "No way, dude. You have to stay outside with all the people food going on in there," she said, looking at his pathetic face. "They'll come out here and play with you eventually."

As if on cue, Teddy and his wife joined Beca and Christian on the deck, bringing a grin to her face. She sent Zeus off the deck and turned to greet the couple.

"Hey Teddy!" Beca greeted him with a hug.

Teddy smiled, introducing his wife, "Beca, I'd like you to meet my better half Shannon."

Beca shook her hand politely, saying, "It's so nice to meet you."

Shannon returned her smile and handshake, replying, "You as well. I've heard a lot about you from Ted. Congratulations on the house, it's stunning."

"Thanks, but it's mostly Chloe's doing. She has the eye for this type of stuff," she explained, stepping back. "This is Christian, Chloe's father. Christian, this is my attorney Theodore Rook and his wife Shannon."

Teddy grabbed a couple of beers out of the cooler as the foursome chatted, Beca occasionally checking on the food on the grill. She could hear more voices coming from inside the house, knowing more guests were arriving. Beca excused herself to grab a clean platter from the kitchen, returning to pile the first round of burgers, hot dogs, and brats on it. She carried it inside and put it up on the bar, taking a deep breath at the amount of people in their small house. She recognized a few teachers from school, but none of her band had arrived yet, and she retreated back to the safety of the deck. Teddy and Shannon had wandered into the yard to look at the fire pit, accompanied by Zeus.

"Getting a little crowded in there?" Christian asked, giving her a knowing look.

Beca shrugged and began transferring more food to the grill, answering, "It's a lot of Chloe's coworkers. Still kinda weird for me. I know I need to get over it, but it's hard to think of them as anything other than my old high school teachers who didn't like me."

Christian regarded her curiously. "Why didn't they like you?"

"I was an average student, and didn't really pay much attention in class," Beca admitted, though not apologetic. "I think I always knew school wasn't for me. I was never passionate about it, and I got into trouble when I was younger."

"Dating your teacher might have had some negative results," Christian commented. Beca's gaze shot to his face, relieved to see his teasing smile.

Beca gave him an innocent look, replying, "It was a two way street, you know."

He shook his head. "I don't know, and I don't think I want to," he said, his voice neutral. "All that matters to me now is that you make my daughter happier than I've ever seen her."

"She makes me pretty happy too," Beca replied, glancing through a window inside the house, Chloe's red hair visible in the living room.

* * *

The party was in full swing with guests coming and going, filtering through the house and around the backyard. Beca had shut down the grill and was currently chatting with Jesse about his plans for the choir this year. She'd been a good host, making the rounds with Chloe and re-meeting many of her former teachers from Barden, thankful that they were all pleasant and polite and kept most of the awkwardness at bay.

"I think that sounds awesome, Jesse," Beca said honestly, her mind already working through some mashups that would go with the throwback theme he was preaching about for the fall concert.

"Me too," he agreed, taking a sip of his beer. "I think if I pick the right songs the kids will really get into it."

Aubrey came up beside him, catching his last words. "Get into what?"

Jesse smiled at her, saying, "The throwback concert idea I have for the fall. Beca agrees with me that it would be really cool."

Beca hesitated as Aubrey looked at her. They hadn't seen each other since the few brief moments at Beca's show in San Diego in December, and while she was fairly confident Aubrey wouldn't create a scene, she didn't know where they stood.

"I think it's a great idea," Aubrey said simply, giving them both a small smile.

Jesse beamed at her, finishing off the last of his beer. "I'm gonna get a refill, want anything Bree? Beca? Okay, I'll be right back."

Both women shook their heads, though Beca was slightly panicking at being left alone with Aubrey. However, Beca realized she had an opportunity to clear the air with one of Chloe's closest coworkers and friends, and decided to try to bury the hatchet once and for all.

"So, uh, Aubrey," she started, feeling a little more confident when the blonde only gave her a curious look. "Look, I'm sorry I gave you a hard time in school. It was a dick move, and it wasn't really about you... I just didn't want to be there at all," she apologized, hoping it was coming across as sincerely as she meant it to.

When Aubrey remained silent, she continued on, "I know that you and Chloe are friends and I know you probably still hate me, but I was kinda hoping we could start over... for Chloe's sake? She'd probably flip her shit if we even almost got along... you know, in a happy way."

"I don't hate you." Aubrey's voice was cool, if not a bit defensive.

Beca looked up at her, trying to read her face. "Okay... that's good, I guess."

Aubrey sighed and shook her head, repeating herself. "I don't hate you, Beca. I didn't care for the way you acted in school, especially in my class... but I can accept some responsibility for pushing you at times. I'm sorry for that, and for the way I reacted when you two told us you were together. I'll accept your apology if you accept mine."

It was so formal it took Beca a minute to wrap her head around what Aubrey was asking over. "Yeah, yeah of course," she stuttered out, shaking the blonde's outstretched hand.

"I didn't like it at first," Aubrey added, clarifying, "You and Chloe, even after you started dating again last year. But anyone with eyes can see you two belong together. Even since we've been talking you've glanced at her like five times."

Beca snapped her eyes back to Aubrey's green ones, giving her a guilty smile. "Sorry."

Aubrey gave her a smile, possibly the first genuine smile ever aimed in her direction. "I'm happy for both of you. I still don't particularly care for those ear monstrosities..." She trailed off, gesturing at Beca's piercings, "But..."

"She knows that I think they're super sexy," Chloe filled in, coming up beside Beca and slipping an arm around her waist. "Thought I should come over here and make sure World War Three wasn't about to start."

Beca immediately leaned into Chloe, her reaction automatically making her gravitate closer to the redhead. "We're fine, babe. Well on our way to becoming besties."

Chloe burst out laughing as Aubrey's eyebrows rose at that statement, leaning in to press a kiss to Beca's cheek. "Thank you. Both of you," Chloe added, with an appreciative look at Aubrey.

Beca blushed a little, knowing how much it would mean to Chloe for her and Aubrey to not be at each other's throats. Even though she didn't talk about it much, Beca knew Chloe cared about Aubrey a lot and it bothered her that one of her best friends and her girlfriend didn't get along.

Aubrey shot them both a smile and quickly excused herself to go find Jesse, leaving them alone for a moment. Beca slipped her arms around Chloe, wrapping her in a hug.

"God, that was fucking awkward," Beca grumbled. "She said she doesn't hate me, but I'm not sure I believe her."

Chloe chuckled softly, replying, "I'm not surprised. You both have developed strong opinions of the other over the years that aren't just going to vanish overnight. Give it some time."

Beca took a deep breath, knowing Chloe was right. "I love you," she murmured.

Chloe sighed into her neck, replying, "I love you, too."

Beca pulled back and glanced at her watch, noting it was still early. "Wanna kick everyone out and take that jacuzzi tub for a test drive?" Beca asked, winking at her girlfriend.

She smirked at the way Chloe bit her lower lip, knowing the redhead was just as affected by their few days of abstinence as she was. A glance around the yard told her that most of their guests were still milling around on the deck or inside the house.

Chloe dropped her head back onto Beca's shoulder, saying, "My parents will still be here."

"I'm sure they're perfectly aware we're sleeping together," Beca replied, chuckling at the way Chloe weakly smacked her thigh. "You could try to be quiet," she offered, willing to do just about anything to get her girlfriend naked.

Chloe shook her head, her voice muffled as she retorted, "Easier said than done. I'd like to see you be quiet with my fingers inside..."

Beca coughed loudly and gave Chloe a nudge, effectively shutting her up as a few teachers approached them to say goodbye. She pulled back, giving them a polite smile as they thanked them for hosting and congratulated them on their new home.

Beca sneakily escaped from Chloe's side as she walked them out, instead strolling over to where her dad and Sheila were cozied up by the fire pit.

"It's a beautiful home, kid," Sheila said, rising to give her a hug. "You two will be just fine here."

Beca hugged her back happily. "Thanks. Where have you guys been hiding all night? I looked for you a while ago after I heard you come in."

Ben smiled, standing as well. "We can come over anytime. We thought we should let you spend time with your other guests and not take up too much attention. We talked with Ted and Shannon and Grace and Christian for a while, as well as Dr. Williams and his wife. Lovely people, really Becs. He still thinks quite highly of you."

Beca nodded, recalling saying hello to the principal and meeting his wife. "Yeah, I liked him too. He was always cool to me."

Sheila laughed, replying, "You could have tried to be a little cooler at school. I'm sure he would have appreciated that."

"It's all part of the Mitchell charm," Beca quipped, earning a hard stare from her father.

Ben sighed and shook his head. "Anyways, Becs, I think we're going to head out."

Beca protested, if only to have a few more people to counterbalance all the teachers still around, eventually giving in. She started walking with the pair towards the deck, when Chloe intercepted them.

"Oh no! Are you guys leaving? I hate to ask this, but Sheila could you please help me with one thing in the kitchen first?" Chloe asked, her parents no match for her pleading eyes.

Sheila smiled, agreeing instantly. "Of course. Leave these two to chat for another minute."

Beca exchanged glances with her dad as the two women disappeared inside, asking, "No good can come of this, right?"

Ben chuckled, answering, "Definitely not. Since we have a minute, introduce me to your new publicist? Isn't that her over there with your band?"

Beca held back a groan, leading her dad over to the small group. "Hey guys."

The band greeted her enthusiastically, the high fives and fist bumps ritual by now, going through each of them before introducing her dad.

"Dad, this is the band. Alex, Travis, Derek, Zak, and Rachel. And of course, my new publicist Kommissar," Beca said, matching each of them with a name.

Ben smiled and shook hands with everyone. "It's nice to meet you all. You must be crazy to go on tour with this one." He looked at Kommissar, asking curiously, "Do you go on tour as well? I'm pretty sure Scotty did last time, right?" He finished the question with a look at Beca, who nodded.

Kommissar smiled politely, answering, "No, I'm not needed for the tour. Scotty will keep me informed of necessary events and I'll put out releases accordingly."

"Fascinating," Ben said sincerely, asking the blonde another question about the intricacies of her job.

Beca tore her eyes away from the woman to face the curious stares from her band.

"Becs, I know she's hot and all but your girl is like five feet away," Zak teased, nudging her shoulder.

"Shut up," Beca retorted, giving him a shove back. "She's not hot."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "I mean... she's pretty hot, in a stuck up, snobby, I'm so much better than you, kind of way. If you're into that," she finished, shooting a pointed look at Zak.

Zak looked appropriately offended. "Hey, don't look at me. I was just making an observation. Besides, there will be plenty of hot chicks on tour... I don't need to hit on Becs' new publicist."

Derek nodded, clinking his beer bottle with Zak's. "Truth," he agreed. "There will be plenty of dudes too," he added, jerking his head at the two women.

Alex rolled her eyes, scoffing, "Those groupie tramps are for sure going to give you an STD. Second, Rachel and I aren't into that scene."

Travis spoke up curiously, "The groupie scene or the dude scene?"

Rachel winked at him, answering, "Wouldn't you like to know."

The guys exchanged glances, before looking back at them. "Yep, we'd definitely like to know."

Beca chuckled at them as the girls rolled their eyes and walked away, heading to the coolers for another round. She wasn't prepared for them to turn on her, asking what she knew.

"Hey, hey, I don't know anything!" Beca said defensively, looking from one to the other. "They could be fucking each other for all I know." Definitely shouldn't have said that. "Get your minds out of the gutter."

"You put 'em there," Zak shot back, giving her a grin.

Beca decided a change of subject was for the best, asking, "Which stop are you guys most excited about this time?"

Travis answered immediately, to no one's surprise. "Philly! Can't wait to spend two nights in my own bed with my wife."

"Gramps, where did you find a woman that's okay with this lifestyle?" Derek asked, shaking his head in amazement.

"It's not impossible, man. Just gotta find the right woman. Ain't that right, Becs?" Travis replied, looking to her for confirmation.

Beca glanced around looking for Chloe, frowning for a moment when she couldn't find her. "Yeah, what he said. Chloe's not crazy about the tours or the travel, but somehow she's decided I'm worth the fuss. Beats me," she finished with a shrug.

A loud cheer had her turning back toward the house, her eyes immediately finding Chloe and Sheila holding a large cake, calling for them to come over. Everyone made their way over to the deck as the two women set the cake down on the table.

"This was a housewarming and back to school party, but it's also a celebration for Beca and her band and team as they kick off their second tour!" Chloe announced, beaming a smile at Beca. "A lot of hard work has already gone into preparing, and I wanted to do something special to celebrate all of that effort and sacrifice. Congrats to all of you! I hope the tour is amazing and you have a blast!"

Everyone cheered as Beca shuffled over to Chloe and gave her a hug. Feeling bold, she quickly dipped her and gave her a searing kiss, drawing more than a few whistles from the small crowd.

Once they were both upright, Beca shot her girlfriend a smirk, saying, "Thanks babe. This is great."

"I'm not thrilled about you leaving, but I know how much this means to you and your band. I want you to know that even though I want you here with me, I'll always support you and be your biggest fan," Chloe promised, kissing her again.

"God, I love you," Beca sighed before picking up a knife, grinning as she turned back to the group. "Who wants cake?"

* * *

Beca carried her duffle bag out of the bedroom, her heart almost breaking as Zeus waited by the door with a hopeful expression. He'd gotten used to her routine of packing before leaving on a trip, be it long or short, and fully expected to go each and every time. His face almost had her changing her mind on the spot, but knew he'd be better off here keeping Chloe company.

"Sorry, bud. You gotta stay here this time," Beca said sadly, setting her bag down and crouching to his level, rubbing his ears.

Chloe spoke up from the kitchen, saying, "Bec, it's not too late to change your mind. It might be better for him to stay with you."

The words were not helping her resolve at all. "Nah, Chlo, he should stay here with you. I'm busy on the road all the time. He'll be happier here with you at the house with the yard to run around in."

"If you're worried about me being alone, it's fine," Chloe said softly, much closer than before.

Beca shook her head and stood up. "I know, I just think it's better for him to stay here. Are you ready for the first day of school tomorrow?" She asked, changing the subject.

Chloe grinned excitedly, answering, "Yes! My first group of freshman students are seniors this year, which means I'll have some of them again in my AP classes."

"Hard to believe it's been three years since we first met," Beca said, unable to hold back a smile. Chloe's enthusiasm for her students and teaching was contagious.

"I know, and look at us now," Chloe said, slipping her arms around Beca's neck. "Never would have guessed it in a million years."

Beca's jaw dropped in mock offense. "Hey! I'm not that bad."

Chloe giggled and shook her head, placing a kiss on her lips. "No... no you're not. You're too good for me."

"Think you've got that backwards, Beale," Beca mumbled, kissing her again. "I'm gonna miss you like crazy."

Chloe's eyes turned sad, hugging Beca tight to her body and kissed her hard. "I'll miss you too, baby. Call me when you get there?"

Beca nodded, stepping back and dropping down to her knees to give Zeus a hug. "I'll miss you too... so much. Take care of Chloe, okay bud?" She let Zeus lick her cheek before placing a dozen kisses all over his nose and face.

Rising back to her feet, a glance out the window let her know Isaac was waiting for her outside. Turning back to Chloe in time to see the redhead wipe away a tear, she stepped closer for one more kiss. "I love you. I'll see you soon, babe."

Chloe nodded, grabbing hold of Zeus' collar as Beca picked up her duffle bag and left through the front door. Isaac met her halfway, taking the bag from her and putting it in the trunk as she slid into the back seat. She waved goodbye to Chloe and Zeus standing in the open doorway, slumping back against the seat when they drove out of sight.

* * *

Beca exchanged grins with Rachel as they finished the song to wild cheers from the crowd. As much as she hated to admit it, performing live on tour gave her a rush unlike anything else. She loved being on stage with her band playing music for large crowds, amazed at the number of people that showed up to each show. Beca was truly grateful for her fans, as well as humbled by their unwavering support.

Her experience this time was so different compared to her first tour, but it was a welcome change. She was headlining this tour instead of being a popular up-and-coming artist paired with the superstardome that was Rascal Flatts, and got along well with the two opening acts BMR picked out. They were younger artists at the label, and Beca knew the hope was that they got enough exposure touring with her to help them break out.

The major difference was that it wasn't new anymore, and she was much better at managing the craziness of performing and traveling and press without letting her relationship suffer. Beca made sure to call or text Chloe every day, no matter what, and having Kommissar and Scotty in control of all her appearances gave her the option to say no. The longer it went on, the more comfortable she felt about the multiple tours still to come. It definitely wouldn't be bad at all if Chloe and Zeus came with her sometime. It was hard being away from them, but Chloe flew to meet her every couple weeks, and Beca already had plans to fly home on a slightly longer break next month.

The downside was that the tour was highlighting her second album, titled Party of One, which her band had dubbed "the depressing one." She was able to mix in some of the songs from her first album that were popular, but for the most part the set list was comprised of her entire album written about her breakup with Chloe. Not that she could actually say that out loud, since according to most of the world they'd barely had any type of relationship prior to last summer.

It wasn't easy to get up on stage and perform the music from such a difficult time in her life, but thankfully it didn't affect her as much as when she was recording it and reconciling with Chloe that summer in Nashville. Beca forced herself to call Chloe after particularly emotional shows, talking about her feelings and letting her girlfriend in on her struggles. That wasn't easy either, but Beca found she needed Chloe to know that despite the circumstances, she still loved her. For her part, Chloe was unwavering in her support and reassurance, doing her best to understand what Beca was going through, and the brunette was immensely grateful for it.

Beca glanced around the stage, making sure everyone was set up for the next song. Zak had abandoned his guitar for a cello, learning the instrument quickly after realizing a few of the tracks on the album called for it. She had brought someone in to record it for the album, but Zak had mastered it enough to play on the tour as long as Beca played guitar in his place. She took a deep breath with her guitar around her neck, knowing this was one of the harder songs to perform.

She made eye contact with Travis, who played the first piano chord perfectly as she started to sing.

_So baby if we're going down_

_I don't wanna remember_

_That I was there to watch us fall_

_And learn that nothing's forever_

Beca stepped back from her microphone as Zak's cello joined the piano for the small intro, her heart feeling heavy as the emotions came back to hit her. She sang the first verse, leading straight into a small hook before the chorus again, pausing a little before the second verse.

_And now your secrets have come out_

_You justify my doubts_

_I gave you my trust, put all my faith in us_

_It's bound to rain inside your eyes_

_'Cause honey you've been caught, as the guilt multiplies_

_Take a bow_

_Are you proud_

Beca sang the chorus again, strumming her guitar slowly as she fought to maintain her focus and composure, the same struggle every time she performed the song. She glanced around at her band's somber faces, clearly showing they knew this song was one of the hardest for her to get through.

_That was then_

_This is now_

_I don't know when_

_I don't know how_

_I don't know if I'll survive_

_But God I'll try_

_Yeah I'll try_

She felt the song rise, knowing it was almost over and that she was less than a minute away from moving into one a little more upbeat.

_So baby we are going down_

_And I'll always remember_

_That I was there to watch us fall_

_And learn that nothing's forever_

_Yeah, nothing's forever_

They finished out the song with the crowd singing along, Beca giving them a forced smile as she stepped back from mic to the steadily rising cheers. It was one of her saddest songs, but it was powerful and drew an equally powerful, emotional response every night. She hadn't expected the song to be as popular as it was, though it definitely wouldn't be considered a favorite track. Heartbreak was a common theme many people can relate to, and Beca had tapped into that crowd and written them an anthem, and it was only right she play it night in and night out in an effort to show you can get through it.

Beca purposely inserted a quick transition here, not wanting to dwell on the thoughts that particular song stirred up inside her. Waiting only long enough for Zak to swap the cello for his guitar, she turned back to the audience strumming the intro to the next song and grinned as it was instantly recognized.

She'd written this one about Chloe and their break up, but forced herself to put a more positive spin on it and focused on the new life she was starting in Nashville. Beca titled it "Weightless" because she was desperate to rid herself of the heavy feeling of hurt and loneliness that had plagued her since she'd left California. BMR hadn't wanted to release it as a single, which in hindsight was probably a huge mistake considering it might be the most popular of all her songs among her fans. They loved it, clamored for it, sang it louder than any other song at every venue, and Beca usually indulged them by extending it.

_Manage me, I'm a mess_

_Turn a page, I'm a book half unread_

_I wanna be laughed at_

_Laughed with, just because_

_I wanna feel weightless_

_And that should be enough_

_But I'm stuck in this fucking rut_

_Waiting on a secondhand pick me up_

_And I'm over, getting older_

Beca grinned at the crowd singing the last few lines before the chorus, feeling the excitement radiating up to her. She turned her grin on her band for a second, before spinning back for the chorus.

_Maybe it's not my weekend_

_But it's gonna be my year_

_And I'm so sick of watching while the minutes pass as I go nowhere_

_And this is my reaction_

_To everything I fear_

_'Cause I've been going crazy I don't want to waste another minute her_ e

Beca stepped back from the mic, happily playing her guitar next to Zak who joined her near the front of the stage. He retreated as she pulled one of her in-ears out, wanting to hear the crowd sing along with her since they were going crazy. The second verse passed along with the chorus again, her fans shouting the lyrics up at her as she reached the bridge.

_This could be all that I've waited for_

_And this could be everything_

_I don't wanna dream anymore_

She drew the last word out, knowing that the band would cut out behind her and that she would let the crowd take over like every other night. Beca dropped her guitar, letting it hang by the strap as the music stopped, and grabbed the mic out of the stand and walked out on the part of the stage that jutted out into the crowd. She sang the first line before holding it out to face the crowd, encouraging them to take over and sing the lyrics she knew they'd memorized long ago.

_Maybe it's not my weekend_

_But it's gonna be my year_

_And I've been going crazy_

_I'm stuck in here_

Beca grinned as the crowd sang as one voice drowning out the single chords from Zak's guitar, impossibly loud and enthusiastic. She retreated back to center stage and put the mic back in the stand in time for the band to come back in, singing the chorus over again. It was really the perfect follow up song to the emotional roller coaster that preceded it. After the first couple of shows, she didn't need to gesture to repeat the chorus, the band picking up on the vibe and playing it multiple times to close out the song.

They finished with a bang to deafening cheers, Beca grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

Beca took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies that had taken up permanent residence in her stomach as the car pulled into the driveway and slowly came to a stop. Isaac put the car in park, turning a little in his seat to glance at her.

"I'm going," she assured him, taking another minute to gather herself. "I'm going," she murmured again, this time to herself.

Isaac chuckled, saying, "It'll be fine. Now get out of the car before you talk yourself out of it."

Beca shook her head, her mind made up. "Nope, I'm not backing out now."

She opened the door and stepped out of the car, walking confidently up to the front door of the house. They were expecting her, but it still didn't make her task any less daunting. Beca rang the bell and stepped back, not having to wait long before the door opened and she found herself face to face with a beaming Grace Beale.

"Beca! I'm so glad you were able to escape your tour long enough for dinner," Grace said happily, pulling her into a warm hug. "Christian is even home this time."

"Great," Beca said sincerely, following the woman inside to the kitchen.

Grace called out through the house, "Christian! Come down to the kitchen... Beca's here!"

Beca fought back a smile at her tone, thinking about how similar Chloe and her mother really were. It was only a minute or two before Christian joined them, giving Beca a quick hug before pecking his wife on the cheek.

" I think we'll eat in the kitchen since it's just the three of us. Will you two set the table please?" Grace asked, turning back to the pot simmering on the stove.

It smelled delicious, and Beca was definitely excited about the prospect of a home cooked meal, especially since she knew Grace was outstanding in the kitchen. She loved Italian food, and the scents of spaghetti sauce and meatballs and garlic bread reminded her of just how hungry she was.

Before long they were all seated at the table with steaming plates in front of them. She politely smiled and raised her glass of water when Grace said again how happy they were to host her. "Thanks so much for having me. This looks amazing," Beca said as they dug in, looping some spaghetti around her fork.

Dinner with the Beale's was a fun affair, and Beca was relieved to find there was none of the awkward tension she was dreading. Grace and Christian maintained an adorable banter throughout the meal, while also asking her about the tour and Chloe and how the distance was treating them this time.

Beca answered honestly that the tour was just as much fun as last time, if not more, and that the distance was equally tough on their relationship. She was making a much more concerted effort to stay in touch with Chloe, not letting it go more than a day or two between calls and texting much more frequently. It wasn't as overwhelming the second time around, and Beca also felt a little more confident asserting herself, instead of always feeling the need to say yes to everything.

She helped clean up the table, despite Grace trying to shoo her out of the kitchen with the claim that "guests do not do the dishes." Beca refused to just sit by and watch, and eventually Grace relented and let her take up a spot at the sink.

After dinner, they ventured out onto the back deck to enjoy the beautiful fall evening. Christian lit a couple of candles as the evening light was fading, before taking a seat next to Grace.

Beca leaned forward a little, deciding it was now or never. "So, I actually did want to talk to you both about something," she started, the nerves coming back out of nowhere.

Grace gave Christian a quick look, but they remained silent as Beca took a deep breath.

"I think you both know that I love Chloe a lot... like, so much, and that she means the world to me. Our relationship didn't start in the traditional sense, but when I think about the future, she's the one I want by my side," Beca said, getting lost in thought a little as she spoke.

"It's hard for me to talk about my feelings, but it's always been easy with Chloe. Your daughter is incredible, and she inspires me every day to be the best version of myself. I want to spend the rest of my life making her as happy as she makes me. I... I want to ask Chloe to marry me, and I'd like to do it with both your support and your blessing," she finished, looking from Grace's tear filled eyes to Christian's easy smile.

"Beca, we've seen how happy you make Chloe," Christian began, glancing at his wife as she joined their hands together. "Chloe is our only daughter, and all we want for her is someone who loves her and treats her right. I can't speak for Grace, but I've never seen Chloe look at someone the way she looks at you."

Grace interrupted him, "I think you're doing a fine job speaking for me."

Christian smiled a little wider, saying, "Thank you, dear. I'd like to think I learned something after all these years."

Beca smiled at their interaction, hoping that she and Chloe were still head over heels for each other after as many years together as her parents had under their belts.

"What I'm trying to say, Beca, is that we'd be honored to have you join our family," Christian said, his full attention back to the brunette. "You have our blessing and our support... as long as Chloe says yes," he said, a hint of teasing behind his eyes. "Ultimately, it's up to her."

Beca nodded hurriedly, answering, "Yeah, of course. I'd never pressure her... or anything like that..."

Grace interrupted her again, a knowing look in her eyes. "Beca, we're well aware of who's most likely doing the pressuring in this scenario, and it's not you. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Beca paused for a moment, not expecting that question from Grace. "Honestly, I never thought I would get married... ever, let alone at twenty or twenty-one or whenever it happens. But now, now I can't imagine not spending the rest of my life with Chloe. I think about our wedding day and I'm excited for that moment. I think about our future together and the possibility of a family, and it's incredible and terrifying at the same time. It's something I didn't think was in the cards for me, and is now a permanent fixture in my head. The fact that I'm getting some incredible in-laws and a few extra siblings is just a bonus," she finished with a grin, surprising herself with how much she articulated.

Grace had reached her limit, the tears threatening to spill over as she stood up and pulled Beca into another hug. "Honey, we would be thrilled to have you marry Chloe and join our family. Oh, I'm so happy for both of you."

Christian teased from somewhere behind them, "Easy, Grace, Beca hasn't even asked her yet. And she won't get to if you squeeze her to death."

"Oh you hush," Grace admonished, hugging Beca once more before letting her go.

Christian smiled and got to his feet as well, giving Beca a much tamer hug. "I've always liked you, Beca. But I will send my sons after you if you hurt Chloe. Just keep that in mind."

Beca gulped and nodded, answering, "Understood."

Grace sighed and rolled her eyes, moving to open the back door of the house and walk Beca out. "Such a nice evening and he has to go and say that right at the end."

Christian followed her inside, leaving Beca alone for a moment as he replied, "What? She's my only daughter and I've only gotten to make that threat one other time..."

Beca took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, feeling like she could conquer the world. The hard part was done with, now that she had Grace and Christian's blessing. A grin crossed her face as different proposal ideas flashed through her mind.

Shaking the thoughts away, she headed back inside, muttering to herself, "Maybe you should get a ring first."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, there's not enough praise in the world I can shower on my beta. If you guys only knew how needy I am haha...but really.
> 
> Thank you all for continuing to fav, follow, review, and show all kinds of support for this story!
> 
> I do take reader requests seriously, and work them into the story whenever possible. Don't hold back :-


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The POV switches back and forth in this chapter, so keep an eye out for that. I think it's pretty clear, but just in case :-).

 

* * *

Beca listened intently as the music filtered through the booth, adjusting several dials on the large soundboard in front of her before looking up through the glass. She grinned at Alecia, giving her a thumbs up after that last take and hit the button for the intercom.

"That sounded amazing," Beca said. "Let's do it once more, except draw out that last run a bit, just for fun."

Alecia nodded, moving her headphones back in place.

Beca queued up the track, leaning back in her chair and stretching her arms over her head as Alecia's soulful voice filled the room again. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out to answer, seeing Stacie's name flashing across the screen.

"Shit," Beca mumbled, standing and holding a finger up to Alecia as she answered the call.

"Stace, I'm sorry I got held up at the studio. I'm leaving here in five. Can you get started and I'll be there asap?"

_"Sure thing, Becs. Say hi to P!nk for me!"_

Beca grinned and hung up, beckoning Alecia out of the booth.

"Hey, I totally spaced and lost track of time. I need to be somewhere, like thirty minutes ago. Are you good to wrap for the day?" Beca asked, shoving the phone back into her pocket.

Alecia nodded, looking up at the clock. "Yeah, that works. Did we get that last take?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely. I think we might fight over which one to use," Beca said with a laugh, gathering up her bag. "I booked us tomorrow afternoon and evening. See you guys tomorrow," she said to the crew, waving goodbye as she left the room.

Beca was never more thankful that Isaac was so prompt, hopping in the car parked right outside the studio and immediately directing him to the store where Stacie was waiting for her.

"You sure about this, DJ?" Isaac teased, pulling up to the curb minutes later.

Beca grinned, answering, "Of course. And you're sworn to secrecy, dude. You can't tell anyone."

Isaac nodded, his face turning serious. "Wouldn't dream of it. Pick a good one!"

"Will do," she replied, throwing her sunglasses on and pulling a black snapback low over her eyes before exiting the car.

Beca walked quickly down the street until she reached the store she was looking for, ducking inside and quickly removing her sunglasses. Thankfully Stacie was waiting for her, grabbing her hand and leading her over to where a saleswoman was waiting patiently.

"Sorry I'm late," Beca apologized to the woman, who instantly waved it away.

"Not at all Ms. Mitchell," the woman said, her voice low. "Please follow me. We have a private room set up for you."

Beca sighed in relief, following the woman in the room with Stacie trailing behind. Once inside with the door shut, Beca relaxed completely, breaking into a smile and giving her best friend a hug.

"Thanks for making the trip to help me with this, Stace," she said happily.

Stacie winked, replying, "As if I would miss helping you pick out an engagement ring. I'm doing Chloe a favor... probably."

Beca rolled her eyes, retorting, "I have decent taste."

Stacie gave a questionable hum at that statement before they both dropped into chairs in front of a small table draped in a soft material.

"Okay Ms. Mitchell, my name is Olivia and I'll be assisting you today. What type of ring were you thinking of for your girlfriend?"

Beca frowned for a moment, before saying, "Uh, well first, please call me Beca. It's nice to meet you. And, well, I guess I'm not sure. Chloe isn't very flashy or materialistic, but I'm not sure that applies here. I could see her wanting something a little flashy that she could show off. Also, I want her to know that I put a lot of thought into her ring... that it's a reflection of how much I love her, and that I don't want it to be too plain or boring."

Olivia gave her a smile. "Okay, well, that's a lot to digest, but it's all good. We have plenty of original designs here, or you're free to select your own stones and create a design yourself, provided you stay within certain limitations."

Beca nodded, paying close attention to the woman. "Where do we start?"

"I think the safest place to start is the setting. Were you thinking white gold? Platinum? Titanium?"

Beca chuckled at the last metal, thinking it would be very fitting to give Chloe a titanium ring. Deciding against it, she said, "I think probably white gold or platinum would be fine. I just want to be able to get it engraved."

Olivia replied, "You can engrave both white gold and platinum. What size stone were you thinking? Or perhaps, multiple stones?"

Beca hummed thoughtfully, taking her time coming up with her answer. "Multiple stones, I think, but a main center diamond that's maybe a carat... or a carat and a half? Nothing outrageously big, but that seems like a good starting place. Maybe a few side stones, and then smaller ones down the edge of the band? And I guess I'll go with platinum."

Olivia jotted down notes, before finally looking up from her pad. "Let me go get one of our custom designers, and maybe we can get something sketched out for you today. I'll also bring out a small selection of stones for you to look at."

Beca thanked her as she left the room, turning to look at Stacie. "What?"

"I'm impressed, Mitchell," Stacie teased, shooting her a smile. "You've been doing some research, since there's no way you know anything about diamonds or settings or rings."

"Maybe I have," Beca shot back, blushing a little. "I just want to get her the perfect ring. I know how much it means to her, and how much it means to me."

Stacie shook her head, answering, "Crazy how much things have changed since high school, huh? You're getting engaged! And knowing Chloe, she'll love just about anything as long as it's coming from you... barring something truly hideous."

Beca chuckled, "Well, the goal is to stay away from hideous and lean more towards stunning."

The door opened and Olivia appeared holding several felt trays stacked on top of each other, followed by a slightly older gentleman with kind eyes behind a set of wire-rimmed glasses.

"Beca, Stacie, this is our top ring designer John Mizelle," Olivia said, introducing him to the pair. "John, Beca has an idea for a ring that I think we can make happen."

The man sat down across the table with a tablet and stylus, making eye contact with her. "Okay, Beca, tell me what you were thinking."

Beca nodded and repeated her vision of the ring, watching in amazement as he sketched out a design right before her eyes on the tablet. She helped him with small corrections as he went along, grinning as her vision came to life.

"Is there anyway we could do a type of etching into the side?" Beca asked curiously. "Not an engraving, per se, but maybe some shapes?"

John looked at her curiously, answering, "We'll have to make the band a little thicker to accommodate that, but otherwise it shouldn't be a problem. What did you have in mind?"

Beca looked around for a piece of paper, before shrugging and asking the man, "Can I borrow your stylus?"

He handed it over, turning the screen towards her to allow Beca to quickly draw out a line of music notes, followed by a second. "Will that fit? One line on each side of the ring?"

John mused over them, answering, "Sure, I think we can make that work. Do you want the same line mirrored on each side?" He demonstrated what he meant, helping Beca understand the question.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, that's good," Beca answered, nodding her head. "Because one half is the bass and the other half is the melody, so it'd be that way from both sides."

John made a few quick notes before locking his tablet and tucking the stylus into his pocket. "I'll get a quote drawn up for you before you leave today. I think Olivia has some stones for you to look at, which will buy me some time," he finished with a smile, standing up and shaking both their hands as he left the room.

Olivia sat down and placed the trays on the table, unstacking them until they were side by side in front of Beca and Stacie. "Okay Beca, I've got a selection here for the center stone, as well as some smaller ones for the side stones. All of these stones are of the topmost quality... are you aware of how diamonds are evaluated?"

The question was sincere, and Beca nodded in response. "Yes, I've done a bit of research on it. I can order stones if I want to for this ring, correct?"

"Yes, of course. We will happily create your ring with any stones you purchase provided they fit the design," Olivia answered smoothly.

Beca looked over the diamonds in front of her, one immediately catching her eye. She forced herself to be patient, and look at them all multiple times before coming back to that one. "Can you tell me about this one, please?" She asked, pointing out the stone.

Olivia smiled, answering, "Are you sure you haven't done this before? This stone is of excellent quality. It is slightly over one and a half carats with a super ideal cut, colorless, and considered flawless. It is one of the best diamonds currently in our possession."

"How much does something like that cost?" Beca asked curiously, feeling like she was woefully unprepared for the answer.

"That particular stone is a little over thirty thousand dollars."

Beca's eyebrows rose as she looked at Stacie, who wore a matching expression. "Holy shit," Beca mumbled, definitely not prepared for that answer.

Stacie recovered first, saying, "Well, you weren't actually going to get her a five thousand dollar ring, were you?"

"No, but geez," Beca answered, running her fingers through her hair.

Stacie patted her shoulder with a laugh. "Buck up, Mitchell. Time to pull out that platinum card to pay for the platinum ring."

Beca couldn't hold back the laugh, shaking her head. "Sorry," she apologized to Olivia. "I'm sure you're used to working with people who are much more comfortable spending that kind of money. It's still new to me."

Olivia gave her a warm smile, replying, "Completely understandable. I wouldn't know, but I imagine it takes a while to get used to."

"Right... yeah, sorry, I didn't mean..." Beca sighed, sitting back in her chair. "I'm the worst."

Stacie laughed, agreeing with her, "How are you still so awkward? Sometimes you're so different, and other times it's like we're back in high school all over again."

Beca rolled her eyes. "I can't help it. I'm still the same person, just now people have a million expectations and opinions of how I should act. I still prefer to be alone in my room with a guitar, except now it's a studio instead of my room, but you get the idea. Anyways..." She trailed off, looking back at Olivia. "I'll take that one, please," she said, indicating the ridiculously expensive tiny stone that was sitting innocently on the table.

"Wonderful," Olivia said, moving the larger stones out of the way in favor of the smaller ones that would compliment her choice. "Take a look at a few of these," she said, pointing to several rows of smaller stones. "Based on your design, you'll have two on each side next to the larger diamond, and then a single one following those. It will be gorgeous."

Beca looked carefully over the new stones, selecting the six side stones, one after the other before leaning back in her chair. "I'm not sure I want to know how much those add up to," she joked, waiting for the final total.

Olivia carefully gathered them all up, shaking her head with a small smile. "Don't worry, these little ones aren't too bad. Let me go get that estimate from John and I'll give you a final total."

* * *

Twenty minutes later Beca pushed open the door of the shop in disbelief, walking a few blocks through downtown Los Angeles beside Stacie before speaking. "Did I actually just buy an engagement ring?"

Stacie wrapped an arm around her shoulders, answering, "Yep. Now you just gotta wait a few weeks for it to be ready to pop the question. Any ideas how you'll do it?"

Beca shook her head no, shuffling along. "No fucking idea. Is it lame to just kinda wait for the right time, instead of planning something crazy and forcing it?"

"Not at all," Stacie replied, perking up at the sight of a Starbucks. "Buy me a coffee? I'm dying for some caffeine."

Beca groaned, "You buy me a coffee. I just spent like fifty grand on a custom engagement ring."

Stacie laughed at her expression. "Becs, you have so much money, why do you even care? Besides, almost all of that was on the perfect, flawless diamond you wanted. The ring itself was only a few thousand," she pointed out. "You could have gone with a different stone and saved a ton."

"And give Chloe something less than perfect? Fuck that," Beca retorted, defending the decision she was complaining about thirty seconds ago.

"Then shut up and just be excited! She's going to die when she sees it," Stacie assured her, opening the door to the coffee shop.

Beca grinned, quipping, "I hope not. Kinda defeats the purpose, amirite?"

* * *

Beca's foot tapped nervously on the floor as she sat with her back to the soundboard. She had arrived at least an hour early, unable to contain the nerves and excitement building up inside her. After a few minutes that seemed more like an eternity, the studio door opened and Scotty entered, giving her a grin.

"Hey, Becs. Not surprised at all you're here already," Scotty greeted her, collapsing onto the couch.

"Hey. Do you have it?" Beca asked anxiously, shifting forward onto the edge of her seat.

The man nodded, pulling a small box from his pocket and handed it over to her. "I didn't even peek once. You should be proud of me. Did you know I had to show two forms of ID just for them to hand it over?"

Beca mumbled, "Should have been three and included a phone call to me personally just to make sure." She held the box carefully in her hand and slowly flipped the lid open, stunned at the finished product inside. "Whoa," she murmured, carefully inspecting the ring.

Scotty peeked around the edge of the box, letting out a whistle in the silent studio. "Nicely done, Becs. That's a helluva ring. Chloe will love it."

"Yeah, I think she will," Beca said, sighing in relief. "Now I just have to figure out how to propose."

"Well, it's not that hard really. Just get down on one knee and tell her you love her and that you want to spend the rest of your life with her," Scotty filled in, sitting back down on the couch. "Nothing hard about it, really."

Beca scoffed, "Oh yeah, nothing except the fear of rejection and the person you love the most leaving you forever."

Scotty laughed out loud at that. "Seriously? That girl is head over heels for you. You've got zip to be nervous about. Well, unless you keep camping out in LA instead of going home to her. It's not even that far... just take a car or an Uber or something."

Beca knew he was right. It had been a week since she'd last been home with Chloe, but she was being flexible with Alecia's schedule and recording her own stuff at the same time. It was easier to stay in LA as long as the label continued to give her massive chunks of studio time. She flipped the lid closed, sliding the box into her pocket before answering him.

"Chloe understands. I promised I'd be back this weekend no matter what, and stay for a week. Alecia should be finished recording by then, and I can mix the tracks with a little more flexibility. I can record my stuff on my own timeline as well, it's really this one project keeping me in LA," Beca explained, leaning back in her chair.

Scotty quickly changed subjects, reminding her, "Kommissar has a couple of sponsors lined up that really want to work with you. You've already got Beats and Gibson under your belt, and they're both good contracts... can you make some time next week to go over some other offers with us?"

Beca sighed, half annoyed and half appreciative that Kommissar was pushing her career forward at an incredibly fast pace. Her music was selling off the charts, and the tour had been a massive success. All her press had been positive, and her fan base continued to grow steadily. The downside was that it meant a higher demand on her time, which meant more time away from Chloe and Zeus and her home.

The past year had been good to her, and Beca knew she had nothing to complain about. Gold and Platinum records hung on the walls of her bedroom and studio in her Nashville apartment. She'd also had custom shelving installed in the studio to hold the awards she was racking up, including two more Grammy's from this past year that joined the first three. As proud as she was of her accomplishments, she decided to keep the awards and gifts and tokens of her success out of their small home in California. Chloe had questioned her choice at first, but Beca insisted she was proud of her accomplishments, but that's not what she wanted their home to be about. Instead, she wanted the focus to be their relationship and their family and their love, not her own fame or success.

She and Chloe were doing better than ever, making it through the tour without more than an occasional angry moment or two that stemmed from frustration at the distance. Having control over her public appearances had never felt better, and they spent Thanksgiving with Beca's family and Christmas in Nashville with the Beale's.

The one true surprise of the winter had been the party her band threw her for her twenty-first birthday. They were holed up in Nampa, Idaho, and Beca had been a little bummed at finding out Chloe wasn't going to be able to make it for her birthday. Her band knew she was down about it, and threw her an insane party to celebrate, shoving drinks and shots at her throughout the night. Beca had drank before in private, but nothing like the alcohol she was plied with that evening, and was well on her way to being drunk off her ass when red hair and brilliant blue eyes appeared in front of her, saying, "Happy Birthday baby!" Beca had cheered and kissed Chloe soundly, the couple abandoning the party soon after in favor of a more private celebration.

Beca was thrilled and relieved when she got the final approval to work with P!nk on her acoustic album, immediately letting the woman know their project was on and she was excited to get to work. Instead of going with Alecia's initial idea of a new take on some of her hits, they decided to use her new material and add a few acoustic hits as bonus tracks. The two women had collaborated to write four additional songs to the ones Alecia already had ready, and Beca loved every minute spent throwing lyrics and melodies around. She felt really good about what they'd come up with, and was excited to hear them come to life in the studio.

Other artists had been clamoring to work with her as well, but Beca wanted to give this project all her attention. Scotty kept them at bay, but warned her she would need to make some decisions soon. It was now the middle of March, and Beca was hard pressed to picture life getting better than this.

She was jerked out of memory lane as Joey entered the studio, giving her a wide smile. "Sup Becs? Ready to get back to work? I think we could wrap this by the end of the week if we push it.

Beca returned his grin, giving the man a fist bump. She had asked Joey to assist her on this project because she trusted him, and knew he would keep her on track without judging her. It was different producing another artist, and she valued his experience and opinion. Alecia had approved him on the project, and instantly connected with both of them. While Joey assisted, Beca's vision had taken off almost immediately. She was oblivious to the exchanged smiles around the studio at times, but everyone could agree that this album was going to surprise and impress a lot of people.

"I think so. I know Chloe would love to see me home for a while, so let's make it happen," Beca agreed, starting to get things set up.

The rest of the team filtered in, including Alecia who swept around the room giving everyone a high five before entering the booth.

Beca glanced around when everyone was set. "Okay, I'm setting a goal right now to get these vocals done by Friday so we can all go home and have a nice weekend off. Sound good?"

A chorus of cheers sounded, and Alecia gave her a thumbs up. "Someone's in a good mood!"

"I'm just trying to get a little time with my girl, that's all," Beca winked. "If I'm not sleeping on the couch already for being gone so long."

Alecia laughed, answering, "Well, let's not waste any time then. Hit it."

Beca nodded, queuing up the track they were starting with and hitting the music, slightly adjusting the sound levels. She grinned as Alecia started to sing, feeling ridiculously happy as her hand slid over the small box in her pocket.

* * *

_(Chloe's POV)_

Chloe set her empty plate and glass in the sink, turning to see Zeus giving her a hopeful look from near the door. She smiled and headed over to him, knowing the dishes could wait.

"Do you need to go outside, Zeus?" She asked playfully, grabbing his leash from the hook by the door and laughing at how he started quivering with excitement. "I'll take that as a yes."

Chloe clipped the leash to his collar and exited out into the evening light, the sun hanging low in the sky as if refusing to go to bed quite yet. Remembering how insistent Beca was about not letting him pee on the front lawn, she quickly walked him out to the sidewalk and down the street, not slowing until they were on neutral ground.

Chloe was still adjusting to not having Beca home as much, missing the brunette while she was spending her weeks in LA recording or working with P!nk on her acoustic album. Beca raved about their sessions, claiming the woman was as talented as she was down to earth and that they were getting along really well. Chloe couldn't wait to hear it and had been a little disappointed when Beca shut down her request to listen in on a session, wanting to surprise her with the finished product. She felt a little better when Beca hinted that Chloe could sit in on any of her own studio sessions she wanted.

She walked along the streets with Zeus for a while, letting the dog wander and sniff as he pleased. Their neighborhood was great, with plenty of families and kids, and it was virtually impossible to venture any distance without encountering another dog. Chloe sighed happily, again thankful they'd decided to take the plunge on the fixer-upper. The house felt like home, and Chloe loved every inch of it. Even the two empty bedrooms that she hoped wouldn't be empty for too much longer.

Chloe gave the leash a tug, steering Zeus towards home as the sun finally set and it started to get dark. She heard her phone chime, and tugged it out of her pocket to see a text from Scotty. Frowning, she swiped it open, hoping it wasn't him texting her for Beca to say she wouldn't make it home tonight after all.

_Scotty [9:15PM]: Chloe, I'm worried about Beca. She's working too much... tired all the time. Something's off_

_Chloe [9:16PM]: I know. She says it's just busy right now with the dbl projects, but idk_

She wasn't convinced, all too aware of the changes in her girlfriend over the past six to eight months. Beca always had an excuse though. She lost weight and was exhausted a lot because of the tour and the stressful travel, or more recently her hectic recording and producing schedule. A few weeks ago, she'd woken up in the middle of the night to Beca frantically kicking the blankets and sheets off in her sleep, drenched in sweat. Chloe had woken her up immediately and accepted her explanation of a nightmare, but the doubt lingered when Beca said it had never happened before.

_Chloe [9:22PM]: Is she okay Scotty?_

She stared at her phone screen, watching the little dots that indicated Scotty was typing a reply. Minutes passed with no message from Beca's manager, and her nerves only grew. What could possibly be taking so long? She was about ten seconds from calling the man when his reply came in.

_Scotty [9:30PM]: I don't know_

"What do you mean you don't know?" Chloe said, letting her frustration out into the night instead of in her next text.

_Chloe [9:33PM]: I'm worried about her too. If she doesn't slow down, she'll get sick_

This time, she didn't have to wait for a reply, her eyes going wide as she read his message.

_Scotty [9:34PM]: Check her voicemails_

Chloe frowned at the message, her first instinct to immediately refuse to snoop through Beca's phone. She read the message over again a few times, finally deciding that if Scotty was telling her this it must be important.

_Chloe [9:38PM]: Why? What's going on?_

Zeus gave a tug on the leash, forcing her to look up and see they were approaching their house. She was stunned to see Beca's car in the driveway, not expecting her home until much later. Chloe decided not to wait for Scotty's reply and shoved her phone in her back pocket, entering the house and calling out for the brunette.

"Bec?!"

There was no answer as Chloe unclipped Zeus' leash and he ran straight to his water bowl in the kitchen near the back door, before tearing off to their room in search of Beca. She hung the leash up and wandered into their bedroom, hearing the shower running and understood why Beca hadn't heard her. As if testing her, the brunette's phone was lying innocently on the nightstand.

"Don't do it, Chlo," she murmured to herself, looking away toward the bathroom. She knew the best course of action was to strip down and join Beca in the shower, but curiosity and worry got the better of her and she picked up the phone instead.

After typing in Beca's passcode, which adorably was Zeus' adoption date, Chloe tapped the green phone icon and navigated to the voicemails. She wasn't intending to listen to them, almost hoping that the numbers themselves would reveal whatever answer she needed.

Her first impression was that Beca never listened to her voicemails, let alone delete any of them. As she scrolled down to the older messages it became clear that the habit was developed, as Beca had listened to most of the older messages. Chloe frowned as the more she scrolled the more she saw the same number, most of the calls received near the time they'd started dating. Whoever it was must have called Beca at least ten, maybe fifteen times and left a short message each time. And Beca had listened to every message, despite the fact it wasn't a saved contact in her phone.

Chloe pressed on one of the messages and called the number instead of listening to the voicemail, wondering who it was. She felt nervous as the phone rang, wondering wildly for a moment if Beca had cheated on her.

_"Hi, you've reached Dr. Vanessa Thomas at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Today is Friday, March 24_ _th_ _, and I'll be in the office all day. Please leave me a message with your full name, date of birth, and a brief description of your symptoms and I'll return your call within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Thanks!"_

Chloe quickly hung up the phone, feeling suddenly nauseous. She scrolled to the earliest message Dr. Tomas had left for Beca and pressed play, holding the phone tightly to her ear, repeating the process until she'd listened to every last one.

* * *

_(Beca's POV)_

Beca stepped out of the shower to find Chloe waiting in the doorway with her arms crossed, looking upset.

"Hey babe, what's wrong?" She asked curiously, grabbing a towel and cinching it carefully around her body.

"We need to talk, Beca," Chloe answered tersely, leaving the bathroom. "Get dressed."

Beca sighed, wondering what she'd done as she pulled on a pair of yoga pants and one of her favorite flannels. Throwing her hair up in a bun, she found Chloe waiting for her on the couch.

"Okay, you've got my attention," Beca said with a smile, reaching out to take her girlfriend's hand.

"What's wrong with you?" Chloe's voice was small, and her expression had changed from angry to nervous.

"Uh... a lot of things, I'm sure," Beca joked, earning herself a glare. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Chloe countered, "You've been exhausted lately, more than usual. I'm worried about you."

Beca looked at her carefully, taking her time before responding with a shrug, her eyes anywhere but at Chloe. "I'm logging a lot of studio hours, Chlo. It happens when you're working crazy hours on an album with a superstar on top of your own songs."

"What about not calling a doctor back for years, Beca? Does that just happen?"

Beca froze, knowing she was in trouble now. Turning back to face Chloe, she said, "I'm fine, Chlo. There was nothing to talk about."

"So now you're going to lie to my face? That's what you're gonna do?" Chloe's eyebrows rose, letting Beca know just how deep she was in it. "I heard the fucking messages, Beca. Tell me what the hell is going on?" her voice rose as she tossed Beca's phone onto the coffee table in front of her.

Chloe kept going as Beca remained silent, "Please call me to discuss your test results, it's important. It's vital that you give me a call back as soon as possible to discuss your latest test results."

Beca winced at Chloe's tone, answering weakly, "I've been a little busy lately. I was going to call her eventually. Besides, I feel fine, Chlo. Look, I'm fine."

"Call her." Chloe leveled her with a stare, her tone serious.

"Right now?" Beca asked incredulously, looking up at her girlfriend. "You want me to call her right now."

Chloe nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "This isn't a game, Beca. Do I really need to force you to take your own health seriously?"

Beca sighed, standing up and replying, "No, of course not. Just... give me a minute."

Chloe nodded again, staying seated on the couch as she paced into the kitchen and gathered her thoughts. Five minutes later they were again seated side by side on the couch, Beca holding the phone as tentatively as if it were a bomb. She chanced a glance at Chloe, only to find the redhead's expression firm.

"We're going to talk about the fact you snooped through my phone and listened to my voicemails," Beca commented navigating to the correct number, though her tone didn't hold any heat.

Chloe retorted, "Sure, right after we talk about the fact that you're keeping secrets from me about your health."

Beca smirked, "Touché, Beale. Unless there's nothing wrong with me, which there isn't. Just the doc being all dramatic for no reason."

She waited patiently as the phone rang a couple times before the doctor's voicemail started playing, leaving a short message. Hanging up, she looked over at Chloe, asking, "Happy?"

Beca was stunned to see tears pooling in her girlfriend's eyes, instantly wrapping her in a tight hug. "Chlo, it's fine. I'm fine, okay?"

"What if you're not?" Chloe breathed, clutching tightly to the brunette.

"I'm way too stubborn to be sick," Beca quipped. "I'll just tell it to fuck off."

Chloe rolled her eyes, saying, "Do you take anything seriously?"

"Yes," Beca replied, indignant. Her eyes softened as she looked at Chloe, continuing, "I love you so much, Chlo. We're going to grow old and senile together, and I'll probably be yelling from our front porch at the neighborhood kids to get off our lawn while you throw freshly baked chocolate chip cookies at them."

Chloe laughed at the visual, leaning up to kiss her lips. "Promise?"

Beca nodded, answering, "I promise you, Chlo. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Before either of them could say anything, Beca's phone rang with a call from an unknown number. She felt Chloe tense beside her as she picked it up, swiping to answer the call before tapping the screen to put it on speakerphone.

"Hi?"

_"Hello, is this Beca Mitchell?"_ a female voice asked.

Beca shrugged at Chloe's mouthed question of 'who is that?' and answered out loud, "Yep, you found me."

_"Hi, Beca, this is Dr. Thomas. You're a tough one to get hold of."_

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that. I was on tour for a while and then things just got busy…" Beca trailed off sheepishly at the slight admonishment from the doctor.

_"Yes, of course. I understand. However, I'm afraid I had some very real concerns about your last round of tests. When will you be able to come back to the hospital for an updated panel?"_

Beca felt her stomach drop at the way Chloe paled at the doctor's words, giving her an encouraging smile. "I'm not sure, doc. I'm splitting my time between San Diego and LA right now producing an album and recording another. I can't just leave."

_"Beca, I'd prefer to run a complete blood count as soon as possible. Would it be more convenient if I refer you to a doctor in San Diego or LA?"_

The serious tone made Beca hesitate, her heart beating faster in her chest. "What's going on here, doc? Why the rush?"

_"I don't want to say anything until we run more thorough blood work and compare it to your previous results. Please understand that I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important."_

Chloe nudged Beca's arm, giving her a look.

Beca sighed, answering, "Okay. If you can refer me to someone here, I'll get the tests."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, before Dr. Thomas said, _"Yes, that'll be fine. I'll send you the information."_

"Okay, thanks," Beca finished, hanging up the phone and looking nervously at Chloe.

Chloe gripped her hand tightly, her own nerves showing through in her voice as she asked, "Still so convinced you're fine?"

* * *

A little more than a week later, Beca sat nervously beside Chloe in an empty patient room at UCLA Hospital waiting for the results from her most recent round of blood tests. Her anxiousness didn't go unnoticed by her girlfriend, who reached over to take her hand.

"I thought there was nothing wrong with you," Chloe teased lightly, giving her hand a squeeze.

Beca shrugged, replying, "There isn't. I just hate hospitals.

Chloe nodded, remembering the last time she'd been in a hospital with Beca. "Well, hopefully this won't take long. Then we can go out to dinner before the drive home."

Beca smiled over at her. "Or we can just spend the night. Sheila will be happy to watch Zeus for us."

"Even better," Chloe grinned, leaning over for a brief kiss.

A few minutes later, the door opened causing them to jerk towards the sound. Beca was stunned to see Dr. Thomas enter the room, alongside a middle-aged man she'd never seen before. One look at Chloe's face clued her in to the redhead's alarm, not expecting to see the woman in California.

Dr. Thomas shook both their hands, saying, "Beca, Chloe, it's nice to see you again."

"What are you doing out here, doc?" Beca asked, returning to her seat.

The doctors exchanged glances, making her heart beat faster in her chest. She had a bad feeling that the news wasn't good.

"Beca," Dr. Thomas began. "I flew out here because you are my patient, and I wanted to be the one to tell you."

"Tell me what," Beca said sharply, now looking from one somber face to the other.

Dr. Thomas hesitated one more moment, before regaining her professional composure. "Your last round of blood work suggests you have a form of leukemia, but we won't know exactly what we're dealing with without more tests."

Beca looked blankly at the doctor, the words slowly registering. "I...," she stuttered, looking briefly over at Chloe. "I have cancer?"

"Yes. Beca, I'm so sorry," Dr. Thomas said sincerely.

Beca felt numb, despite the fact Chloe was squeezing her hand tight enough to cut off circulation. Everything went blurry as she sat in the chair. Dr. Thomas' lips were moving, but she didn't hear a word the doctor was saying. It was like a movie scene, except it wasn't fake and she wasn't watching it unfold from the comfort of a theater.

"Beca?"

"Yeah?" She snapped back to attention, forcing her eyes to focus on the doctors face.

"We'll need to run more tests, but I'm no longer on your case. I want to introduce you to Dr. Timothy Morris. He's a renowned hematologist-oncologist, and a good friend of mine," Dr. Thomas explained, watching her carefully. "I want you to take my card, with my personal cell phone number on the back in case either one of you needs anything," she finished, handing Beca a small business card.

Beca nodded, taking the card and slipping it into her pocket, not trusting herself to speak. She glanced over at Chloe to see her hand covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face. She quickly stood up and pulled her girlfriend into a hug, but was unable to offer her any reassuring words.

Dr. Morris waited for them to be seated, kindly handing Chloe a couple of tissues. "I know this is difficult to process. I'd like to run another CBC and get a bone marrow biopsy today, if possible. We need to figure out exactly what we're dealing with so we can develop the most accurate strategy to beat it."

A thousand thoughts were running through Beca's mind as she followed a nurse down the hall to get changed into a hospital gown. The look on Chloe's face as she was led away. How to tell her parents, especially her dad. What she was going to do if she was terminal. Was she going to die? It was completely overwhelming, and Beca closed her eyes, trying to block them all out. An hour ago she'd been discussing what to do that evening with Chloe, and now... now her whole life was about to change.

* * *

Beca sighed in relief when Chloe entered the room, immediately moving to her side and wrapping her in a hug. They stood there, hugging silently for a minute until a nurse came into the room to prep Beca for the tests. Chloe moved to her side as she sat on the table while the nurse swabbed the crook of her arm with an alcohol wipe.

She squeezed Chloe's hand tightly when the nurse turned back around with the needle.

"I need you to relax, okay?" she said gently, her eyes glancing pointedly at their joined hands.

Beca nodded and let go of Chloe's hand, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Thankfully, the nurse got her vein on the first try, and quickly collected the blood necessary for the tests.

"You can hold her hand again," the woman said kindly. "I'll deliver these samples and be back to prep you for the biopsy."

Beca nodded again, feeling a bit like a bobble head with how frequently she'd been performing the action. It couldn't be helped though, her voice had been stuck in her throat since Dr. Thomas said the word leukemia.

"This can't be happening," Beca mumbled, looking down at the floor.

Chloe turned her chin up to meet her eyes, saying, "It's gonna be okay."

Beca shook her head, whispering, "You don't know that."

"I do know that," Chloe insisted, her voice threatening to break. "You can't leave me," she said, sniffling back the tears welling up in her eyes. "We're just getting started."

The nurse re-entered the room, saving Beca from having to respond. She set down a whole different tray of instruments, before addressing the pair.

"Okay, this time you can squeeze her hand all you like..."

Before she could keep going, Beca interrupted her, asking, "What's your name?" Hesitating a moment, she asked again, her tone softer and more polite, "I'm sorry, I just... I have no idea what is happening to me... can you please tell me your name?"

The nurse gave her an understanding smile, answering, "My name is Stacy."

Beca breathed out a deep breath, commenting, "That's my best friend's name." At the nurse's glance toward Chloe, Beca added, "This is Chloe, my girlfriend."

"It's great to meet you both," Stacy said, before getting back to business. "Dr. Morris will be in shortly to perform the aspiration and the biopsy. We'll be taking from your hip today, so if you could please lay on your side?"

Beca swung her legs up onto the table, resting her head on the pillow as she followed the nurse's directions. Her gown was pulled back until a section of her hip was visible and was swabbed again with more alcohol.

There was a curt knock on the door before it swung open, Dr. Morris entering the room quickly. At Stacy's nod, he pulled on a pair of gloves and grabbed a syringe from the tray.

"Okay, Beca," he began, his voice steady. "I'm going to give you a local anesthetic to reduce the pain, and then explain what's going to happen while we give it time to work."

Beca gave him a jerky nod to let him know she understood, and kept still as he gave her the injection in her hip. Dr. Morris tossed the used syringe into a red bin in the corner of the room and sat down on a little rolling stool in front of her.

"Okay, so today we'll be doing a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. It will inform us exactly what type of leukemia you have," Dr. Morris began. "I'll make an incision into your hip, use a small needle to aspirate some of the liquid marrow, and then a slightly larger needle to retrieve solid tissue. You will experience a brief, sharp pain during the procedure, and the site may be sore for a couple of days."

"Got it," Beca said, her face determined as she reached for Chloe's hand.

Dr. Morris turned and grabbed a small scalpel from the tray, studying her hip carefully before making the incision. He returned the knife to the tray and picked up the smaller needle, looking back at Beca as he said, "I'll be as quick as I can."

* * *

A few days later they were sitting in Dr. Morris' office, Chloe's hand tightly gripping Beca's. They'd decided to stay in LA to await the results, telling Ben and Sheila it was a mini vacation while Beca worked on P!nk's album.

"Okay, Beca," He said, looking grim but determined. "You have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, or CLL. This type of leukemia is classified into five stages using the Rai Staging System; low risk, intermediate risk one, intermediate risk two, high risk three, and high risk four. Your cancer is currently in the high risk three stage. I'd hoped for better, but it could have been much, much worse."

Beca's eyebrows rose for a second, before furrowing again as she listened to him speak. "Good to know, doc," she said, her voice low. "Do I have a chance?"

"Of course," he replied with a smile. "The five year survival rate for a patient with CLL is 83%, though it varies based on the stage. You're in an advanced stage, and given your blood tests and biopsy results I'd put you at a 50% long term survival rate. I'll work with my team and develop a plan for treatment that will involve a combination of chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy. We might also explore radiation, as well as targeted drugs depending on how things progress. Surgery is not a form of treatment for CLL, but may be required if it spreads to other organs, most commonly the spleen. We're not at that point right now, and hopefully the course of treatment will prevent that from happening."

Beca nodded, losing her voice again. Images of her mom, weak and in pain, flashed through her mind. It was one of the worst times of her life, and she was about to put someone else through that. A glance over at Chloe made her stomach drop at the blank look on her girlfriend's face.

"So, do I have to take time off work, or move into the hospital, or what... " Beca trailed off, ignoring the stare Chloe was suddenly burning into the side of her head. She amended her question, asking, "What happens now?"

Dr. Morris answered, "Well, it all depends. Initially you should be able to continue your normal routine. Depending on your reaction to treatment you may feel weak or sick, and be unable to work. There are numerous side effects of both the antibody therapy and chemotherapy, including flue-like symptoms, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, muscle cramps... you get the idea."

Beca thought for a moment, asking, "When will all this start? When will I start treatment?"

"Give me a few days to consult with my team, but I'd like to get you started as soon as possible. This type of cancer is aggressive, and we don't want to give it any more of a head start," Dr. Morris replied, his eyes focused as he shot her a smile.

Beca hesitated, glancing nervously at Chloe. She didn't want to ask her next question, but knew she had to. "Would it have mattered if I'd caught it sooner?" She looked intently at the doctor, knowing the guilt was all over her face and couldn't bear the thought of looking at Chloe knowing Dr. Thomas might have caught it years ago.

Dr. Morris glanced between them, answering, "It's always better to catch it earlier, as early as possible. But this is an extremely subtle disease. It's symptoms manifest in the form of common colds, fatigue, loss of appetite... things that could be explained by any number of reasons. The important thing now is to focus on your recovery," he said firmly. "And I'm very confident we will get this under control enough for you to live a completely normal life."

Beca frowned at his last statement, asking, "Wait a second. You mean I can't be cured?"

"There is currently no cure for CLL," he replied patiently. "It is a result of an acquired mutation in the stem cells of your bone marrow. This mutation causes too many cancerous cells to develop, and they crowd out the healthy cells. It also affects your bone marrow, and can keep it from producing healthy white blood cells, along with the cancerous cells crowding out healthy red blood cells. So far, the best we have been able to do is control it to the point where patients are in remission and lead normal lives. They continue to seek treatment on and off once they achieve remission, and be tested on a regular basis to ensure they stay in remission, but as of now there is no official cure."

"Is there a chance that this is genetic?" Beca asked, now looking more focused at the doctor.

Dr. Morris looked curiously at her, saying, "Highly unlikely, though I suppose it's possible. Why do you ask?"

Beca slumped back in her chair, looking at her hands that were folded in her lap. Almost inaudibly, she answered, "My mom died of leukemia. AML. Could I have somehow gotten this from her?"

The doctor's eyes widened at her omission, before frowning and typing furiously into his computer. The room was silent for a few minutes, with Beca not daring to look at Chloe.

"Beca, there's no current research that shows any direct ties between CLL and AML," Dr. Morris said, finally turning away from the screen. "However one of the main risk factors for CLL is genetic predisposition, and ten percent of patients have a family history of lymphoproliferative disorders. There could possibly be a hereditary predisposition at work here, or it could all just be a cruel coincidence. I'm sorry I don't have a better answer for you."

Beca nodded, slumping back in her chair as she tried to process all the new information.

Dr. Morris coughed, looking slightly tentative as he spoke again. "Beca, one thing I think you should understand about this course of treatment is that there is a high probability a side effect will be infertility."

Beca's eyes shot up to meet his, realizing what he meant.

"I'm not sure if you two have discussed the possibility of children, but it's something you should be aware of if you hoped to conceive one day. I can refer you to an excellent..."

Beca interrupted him, saying, "That won't be necessary. Thanks doc."

Chloe reached out and covered her hand, saying quietly, "Bec, maybe you should think about it."

"I don't need to think about it," Beca said sharply. "I don't care how small the odds are, I'm not passing my cancer genes on to a kid."

Dr. Morris waited a few long seconds before saying, "You've got a few days to think about it anyways, Beca. The decision is up to you, and you can change your mind up until you begin treatment."

They finished speaking with the doctor a few minutes later with the understanding someone would call to update them on the treatment plan and schedule her first appointments. They walked in silence out to the car, Beca a few steps behind her girlfriend.

Chloe turned to her in the parking lot before they reached the car, and Beca knew what she was going to say before the words left her mouth.

"Two years, Beca... we could have known about this two years ago."

Beca couldn't meet her eyes, knowing she would only see disappointment. "I'm so sorry, Chlo..." She said helplessly, having no explanation. "I never thought... fifty percent..." She trailed off, unable to even form the words.

Chloe's expression changed immediately, moving to wrap Beca in a tight hug. "God, Beca I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. There's no way you could have known." Chloe pulled back, forcing her to meet her eyes. "Bec, I don't care what that doctor said. You are young and strong and have an amazing team of people behind you supporting you. I don't buy those numbers... I think the odds are in your favor here."

"I didn't realize I'd been chosen for the Hunger Games," Beca said weakly, needing to see Chloe's smile.

It worked, and the redhead couldn't help the small smile, punctuating it with a shake of her head. "You're going to be okay," she insisted, pulling her into another hug.

Beca heard the words, but inside she felt empty. She knew firsthand what kind of enemy she was up against. Cancer didn't care who you were, or who loved you, or how much money you had. It destroyed lives, tore family's apart ruthlessly, and there was no way Beca was going to let that happen.

* * *

It was early evening when Chloe pulled into their driveway and put the car in park. Beca hadn't said a word the entire drive home, instead staring aimlessly out the window or down at her hands. She didn't know what to say, and decided that silence was better than talking randomly as if everything was fine.

They walked inside to find Zeus happily waiting for them. Beca wordlessly clipped a leash to his collar and walked him outside. She felt like a zombie, with no way to make it stop. Zeus sensed something was off, moving to her side and licking her hand.

She gave him a small smile and walked him back inside, unclipping his leash as she looked around for Chloe. Listening carefully, she heard her girlfriend crying in their bedroom, her thoughts running wild again.

"I can't do this," she mumbled, grabbing her keys and leaving back through the front door. She quickly got in her car and drove away, pulling out her phone and dialing a familiar number.

She was making a rash decision, but the negative thoughts consumed her. Beca couldn't just stay and let Chloe watch her die. She wouldn't put anyone through that kind of pain.

"Hey, it's me. I'm taking the red eye tonight. Can you pick me up?"

* * *

Beca jerked awake to a loud banging on her apartment door, wondering who could possibly be bothering her when she'd told the guys she wasn't expecting visitors. Mumbling something about lax security, she struggled to her feet, collapsing back on the couch at the sharp pain in her head. The three empty liquor bottles on the coffee table in front of her might have something to do with that.

The pounding didn't stop, and Beca yelled, "I'm coming! Jesus Christ!"

She stumbled over to the door, tugging it open to find herself face to face with Chloe.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Chloe was pissed as she pushed past her into the apartment.

Beca blinked for a moment, closing the door behind her. "How'd you know I was here?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, answering, "We get that news, and you run away, and the only thing you can ask me right now is how I found you?" After a moment, she relented, "Isaac called me."

Beca's head was struggling to catch up in this fight. "Right, yeah, stupid. Um, why are you here?"

"Oh, I don't know... maybe because I love you and I'm not going to let you run away and give up. Not on me, not on us, and not on yourself." Chloe stepped closer, really looking at her before making a face. "Did you drink all the tequila in Nashville?"

Beca rubbed her head, replying, "I tried."

"You know that's not going to make this go away, right?" Chloe asked softly.

"I can't do this to you, Chlo," Beca said, feeling determined. "I won't let you watch me die. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

Chloe wrapped her in a hug before she could protest. "Baby, you're going to beat this. I'll be with you every step of the way, and we're going to win."

Beca shook her head, pushing her back, "No, you're not. I won't let you. You have no idea what you're signing up for. I won't put you through that."

"What about what I want? What about the future you promised me?" Chloe was fighting back tears now, her hands clenched into fists. "I'm not giving up on our dreams, Beca. I love you and I'm not letting you go through this alone."

Beca just kept shaking her head, repeating, "No, you don't... you don't understand. Do you really want to watch me get so weak I can't get out of bed? Throwing up every day from the drugs or chemo? What happens when it spreads, Chloe? What happens when the treatment doesn't work and I get stuck in the hospital?" The thoughts of her mom were swirling around in her head, particularly how helpless she felt. "You deserve so much more than that," Beca whispered, feeling tears well up behind her eyes.

Chloe hugged her again, feeling the brunette's resolve waver. "What about what you deserve, Becs? Do you deserve to fight this alone? I'm not going anywhere. I belong right here with you."

The dam broke and tears poured down Beca's face. "I'm sorry, Chlo... I'm so fucking sorry."

Chloe hugged her tighter, murmuring, "I know, it's okay baby. I love you."

Beca shook her head, crying, "I can't do this. How am I supposed to do this? My mom couldn't do it, and she was the strongest person I knew. I... I'm so fucking scared..."

Chloe held her tightly and they sunk down to the floor, murmuring that it would be okay as Beca cried out all the pain, frustration, sadness, and anger, clinging to Chloe like a lifeline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much credit to my incredible beta Arsto for all the research and other work she did to help me with this chapter in particular! It was a tough one!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's still with me!
> 
> For the record, yes this was part of the plan from the very beginning. Hope you decide to stick around through the bad as well as the good!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woke up early this morning, so you guys get the next chapter early.
> 
> I'd just like to clarify that every decision made for this fic is 100% intentional. I may not have been as clear as I intended last chapter, but we did a ton of research on CLL and found that many patients live without ever being diagnosed, or go into remission and lead normal lives. Seems that people focused on the "incurable" part and didn't bother to read the rest.
> 
> So geez... chill out people and enjoy the angsty ride ;-).

* * *

"I've changed my mind. Turn around."

Chloe sighed, keeping her eyes on the road. "No."

"I can't do it. It'll crush him... both of them. I don't know what to say," Beca said, her voice cracking. "I'm barely keeping it together as it is."

"Bec, they're your parents and they need to know. And on top of that, you need their support. You have a whole family and extended family of people who love and care about you, and you need every last one of them right now," Chloe said patiently, making the next turn.

Beca shook her head, looking down at her hands. "What am I supposed to say. Hey dad, remember how awful it was to watch mom die of cancer? Guess what, now I have it too."

Chloe bit her bottom lip, trying and failing to hold back a smile. "Maybe a little gentler than that. And with less sarcasm."

Beca remained silent for a moment, still staring at her fingers that were locked together in her lap. "Nope, I can't do it. Let's go home," she said, giving Chloe a pleading look.

"Beca, if it were your dad or Sheila, wouldn't you want to know? Wouldn't you want to be there for them?" Chloe asked, ignoring her statement.

"Yeah, of course," Beca answered with a heavy sigh. "I just never thought I would have to deal with anything like this again, and now it's happening to me. I'm going to tell them, can it just wait a little longer?"

Chloe slowed to a stop at a red light, turning to look at her. "Your first round of treatment starts tomorrow. I love you, and it is definitely up to you when to tell everyone, but you can't hide this forever."

Beca met her gaze, before slowly nodding and looking back at her hands. "You're right. I need to tell them," she admitted as the nerves took over again, making her feel queasy. "Better just get it over with."

Chloe smiled, reaching over and slipping her hand between the brunettes as they started moving again. They spent the last few minutes in silence, Beca taking comfort in Chloe's presence as she tried to combat the fear inside her. She knew her dad and Sheila would have questions, and was thankful that Chloe was there by her side.

They pulled into the driveway and exited the car, slowly approaching the front porch. Beca knew dragging her feet would only delay the inevitable, but the childish action gave her a little more time to think about what she was going to say. Chloe definitely knew what she was doing, rejoining their hands, but didn't rush her.

"Ready?"

Beca swallowed hard and nodded, reaching out and ringing the doorbell, forcing a small smile. Sheila answered after a minute or so, her surprise immediately morphing into a happy smile as she hugged them both.

"What a nice surprise! You're just in time for dinner! We're eating early tonight because Ben has an early lecture in the morning. Come in," she ushered them inside, calling out to the kitchen. "Ben, Beca and Chloe are here. Did you take the pot roast out of the oven?"

Beca looked helplessly at Chloe as her dad called out that the roast was on the table, begging her to say something.

Chloe caught the look, quickly stepping in, "Sheila, thank you but we can't stay long. Another time, maybe."

Sheila smiled at her, leading them into the kitchen where Ben was just finishing setting the table. "Okay, if you're sure."

Ben finished up at the table, setting a glass down before turning and hugging them both. "Not that we don't love to see you, but you usually call first. What's up?" He asked, giving them a smile.

Beca's voice stuck in her throat at her dad's happy expression. She glanced at Chloe again, wondering how she would have done this without her. Her brain answered for her, 'you wouldn't have done it at all.' Right. Nailed it.

Chloe shifted a little, before saying, "We have some news for you. Why don't we, uh, sit down?"

Ben and Sheila exchanged glances, before the blonde asked, "Is this good news or bad news?"

Beca wordlessly walked away into the living room, knowing Chloe and her parents would follow. The kitchen was one of her favorite places, and for some reason she didn't want to talk about it there, as if it would ruin it for her. She sat down on the loveseat, waiting patiently for Chloe to sit beside her and her parents to take up residence on the other couch.

"Beca, you're starting to scare me," Ben said nervously, looking between his daughter and Chloe. "What's going on?"

Beca ran the words through her mind, reaching out for Chloe's hand as she tried to force herself to speak. "I... uh, I've been feeling off lately... small stuff... I didn't think..." She trailed off, closing her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them again, she looked at her parents and forced out, "I... I have ca... cancer."

Beca was gripping Chloe's hand tight enough to cut off circulation, while Ben and Sheila remained frozen on the couch, clearly in shock. For some reason, the words came easier after the initial confession.

"I, uh, I found out about a week ago," Beca continued, feeling a little more confident at Chloe's reassuring hand on her knee. "It's... it's leukemia. CLL."

Ben blinked at that, his eyes widening in recognition. "No," he said simply, shaking his head. "No, this isn't happening... not again."

Sheila had been silent up until then, though the blonde had tear tracks down her cheeks. "Ben," she said, quickly grabbing his hand as he stood up, only for him to jerk away from her touch and walk out of the room, the back door opening and closing moments later.

Beca stared after him, tears pooling in her own eyes. "I knew it... I should never have told him."

Sheila wiped carefully at her cheeks as she stood up, moving to wrap her arms around Beca in a tight hug. Chloe let go of her hand as she hugged her step-mom back, sobbing into her shirt.

"Beca, you absolutely should have told us! We love you so much... just give him some time to process. He loves you more than anything, you know that," Sheila murmured in her ear.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Beca finally regained some control. Pulling back, Sheila looked her square in the eyes. "We are here for you, kid. Whatever you need, we're going to be there when you beat this, okay?"

Beca looked quickly at the backdoor muttering, "What we are you referring to?"

It hurt more than she fathomed that her dad had left. She needed him there, supporting her, hugging her, telling her it was going to be okay. Deep down, Beca knew this is why she didn't want to tell him. Her mom's death had nearly killed him... and now his daughter was battling the exact same enemy. How did she think he was going to react?

Admittedly, she knew Sheila was also right. She may have inherited her mom's musical genius, but Beca was definitely more like her dad. She felt hypocritical judging him for his reaction when her's was the exact same. Except she didn't just leave the house, she left the fucking state. Chloe had to chase her all the way to Tennessee and bring her home, the memory softening her thoughts instantly.

"I know he'll be back," Beca sighed, feeling completely drained.

Chloe smiled at her, whispering, "I thought that reaction seemed familiar."

Beca rolled her eyes, retorting, "Don't rub it in, Beale."

Sheila raised an eyebrow, as Chloe explained, "Beca decided that the best way to handle things was to hop on a plane, hide out at her apartment in Nashville, and drown herself in tequila. Bec, I think your dad's doing well considering he's only in the backyard."

Thankfully, the blonde refrained from commenting on that news, though a small smile appeared on her lips. "You two are a lot alike," was all she said, before asking, "What is CLL?"

"Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia," Beca said, her voice monotone. "It affects my bone marrow and blood cells, basically making my body produce too many white blood cells. It's caused by a gene mutation and eventually the cancerous cells crowd out the healthy blood cells."

Sheila nodded, pausing for a second before asking, "Does he know that?"

Beca responded in the same emotionless voice. "Yeah, he has a pretty good idea. My mom died of AML... Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, which is another type of blood cancer."

Chloe spoke up quickly at Sheila's shocked face. "The doctor said the cancer is not hereditary, but Beca might have a genetic predisposition to gene mutation that put her at risk. He doesn't think she got this from her mom."

"We don't know that for sure," Beca said, leaning forward with her head in her hands. "He also said that it's entirely possible I have a genetic predisposition to lymphoproliferative disorders."

Before Sheila could answer, they heard the back door open and close, followed by slow footsteps into the living room. Beca looked up to see her dad's face expressionless, already missing the smile she'd grown so used to being there.

He knelt down in front of her, taking a moment before pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Becs. I shouldn't have left, I just... needed a minute," he explained, not letting her go.

"I know, dad," she mumbled, hugging him back just as tightly. "I'm sorry."

Ben pulled back, disbelief on his face combined with a small smile. "Do not apologize. This isn't your fault. You... you're not your mother, Bec. You're going to beat this. You have me and Sheila and Chloe and so many people that love you and will be there," he said, his voice determined. "What phase?"

"Uh, this one is in stages, and it's pretty advanced. The stage is high risk three."

"Long term rate?"

Beca ran her fingers through her hair, hesitating before answering, "Fifty percent."

Ben's eyes widened in shock and Sheila's hands flew up to cover her mouth. Ben composed himself in a flash, asking, "What hospital? And oncologist?"

"Uh, UCLA and Dr. Timothy Morris," Beca answered, quickly adding, "He's good, dad. I already looked him up."

Ben narrowed his eyes, but eventually nodded. "What's his treatment plan? Have you gotten that far yet? I'm assuming you've already done the blood tests and biopsy."

Beca glanced at the surprise on Chloe and Sheila's faces, giving them a small smile. "We've done this before," she said, trying to lighten the room a little. "Can you tell? It was a long time ago, but he's still got it."

Ben stood upright, backing up a few steps. "Some things you don't forget."

"Yeah, I know, dad. I had the CBC and bone marrow aspiration and biopsy done last week. I start monoclonal antibody therapy tomorrow and chemo the day after, along with a whole cocktail of other pills to try and counter the side effects," Beca explained, feeling tired. Before he could ask, she added, "My chemo cycle is one week on, three weeks off for six months. I'll get blood tests and biopsies before the start of each round and Doc Morris will re-evaluate for the next round. Depending on the results I might need drug therapy or radiation, or surgery if it metastasizes. We've got a hotel room in LA for this week, but we'll probably start looking for a small place to rent while we're there since he said to expect a minimum of a year of chemo, not to mention all kinds of hospital trips."

Sheila cut in as Ben processed that information, asking, "And that'll work? How confident is he that the treatment will work and you'll be cured?"

Beca sighed, glancing at her dad in time to see his mouth tighten in a firm line. "Well... there's isn't a cure," she started, realizing that was not the best choice of words. "Technically there isn't a cure, but the doc said that plenty of people go into remission and lead completely normal lives. They just have to be careful and monitor their symptoms and stuff."

Chloe nodded, adding with an encouraging smile, "We did some research as well, and I have complete faith that Beca can beat this. She's strong and she has so many people that love her, and she made me a few promises that she wouldn't dare break."

Beca smiled at her, before looking between Sheila and her dad. "I'm not going anywhere, stepmonster. You'll be able to order me around and spoil our kids and try to poison me with your cooking for years to come. I'll always have the gene mutation thing, but the doc says people manage it all the time and are fine... relatively speaking you know, since there's still the cancer thing, but you can keep it under control and live normally."

Sheila rolled her eyes, sighing, "Only you can joke about cancer, kid."

The room fell silent after that, until Beca looked over at Sheila, asking, "Can you guys watch Zeus for us this week? He can't stay in the hotel."

Chloe wrapped a supportive arm around her, but Sheila hesitated to answer. "Bec, you might want him with you."

Beca sighed. "I know, but things are going to be crazy and I know I'm gonna feel like shit and Chloe's gonna be worried about me and I don't want her to have to worry about him too."

After a moment, Sheila relented. "Of course we'll watch him."

Ben stepped in, asking, "Who else knows?"

Beca answered, "The four of us, my doctor, and Isaac, since he's meeting us in LA to help out and drive me to my appointments. I wasn't going to tell anyone else without telling you guys. But I probably need to tell Scotty and Kommissar and have them put out a statement or something. I'm still planning to finish P!nk's album, but my own stuff is getting put on hold."

"I think you should step away from work completely," Ben said, looking agitated. "Your focus should be on this battle, not some meaningless album."

Beca shook her head, replying, "I need to try and live my life as normally as possible. I'll go crazy if I don't, at least while I can."

Ben stood firm, arguing, "You know what chemo will do, Beca. You've seen it. Why run yourself down even more and help it?!"

"Because I can't just sit around and die!" Beca shouted back, all the air leaving the room.

Sheila broke the silence, standing up and saying carefully, "Okay, let's just take a step back here. Ben, it's our job to support Beca through this, not tell her how to live her life, okay?"

Ben looked back and forth from his daughter to his wife, finally conceding silently with a nod.

"Kid, so help me God, if you over do it the three of us will strap you to a bed. Understood?"

Beca's eyes widened a little, and a glance at Chloe only confirmed that the redhead was completely on board with that plan. "Got it."

"Good," Sheila finished, wrapping her in another hug, gesturing for Ben to join. "We love you so much, Bec."

Beca hugged them both, before stepping back to feel Chloe's arm slip around her. "We should probably get on the road. I need to get to the hospital tonight so they can do a blood test and make sure I'm okay to start treatment."

They all walked to the door, Ben and Sheila hugging her one last time before they finally made it out of the house. Beca exhaled slowly, walking back to the car.

"Feel better?" Chloe asked, sliding behind the wheel.

Beca shook her head, "Not really. He's gonna be crushed when I..."

"Beca Mitchell, not another word," Chloe interrupted her, furious. "You listen to me. You are not going to die. You promised me a life together that ends with you grouchy on the porch and me baking chocolate chip cookies, and I fully expect you to make good on it."

Beca looked at her determined face, wondering how someone so beautiful and loving and perfect fell for her. "Okay," she agreed softly, giving Chloe a small smile.

Chloe nodded, hesitating before backing out of the driveway. "Promise me you won't give up. Promise me you'll fight, Becs. I need you... I..." her voice broke, and Beca reached out to grip her hand.

"I promise you, Chlo," Beca said, meaning every word. "I'm gonna fight like hell."

* * *

Beca absent-mindedly ran her fingers over the small bump just under her right collarbone where her catheter port was placed, not realizing what she was doing until Chloe reached out and took her hand, lacing their fingers together. She took a deep breath as Isaac pulled the car into the private entrance behind the hospital, following the curving road away from any prying eyes. Isaac was the only other person who knew, as Beca was so emotionally drained from the conversation with her parents she wanted to wait a little longer before the inevitable reveal. She couldn't hide it forever, and she didn't want to, but Beca wasn't quite ready for the shit-storm of sympathy that would come her way once the world found out.

It was her first day of chemo, having survived the first infusion of monoclonal antibodies the day before. Apparently the process was similar to chemo. She was given a few pre-medications prior to the infusion, including steroids and some pain pills to counter the side effects. Then the nurse accessed her port and she'd spent the better part of six hours alternating between sitting in the comfortable chair mixing and taking short walks with Chloe down the hall, pushing her IV stand along for the ride. They'd promised her that they would be able to speed up the infusion time for subsequent treatments, though it didn't have too much of an impact since she only got the monoclonal antibodies once per cycle.

Chloe's quiet voice broke the silence in the car, asking, "How're you feeling?"

Beca sighed, looking away from her out the window as they pulled up to the entrance. "Overwhelmed. Tired. Nervous. Scared. Take your pick, Chlo," she said, finally looking at her girlfriend with a small smile. "I'm about to voluntarily flood my body with poison. Maybe the correct answer is insane."

"Maybe," Chloe said lightly, giving her hand a squeeze. "I always thought you were a little crazy."

"Really?" Beca asked curiously, her eyebrows rising.

Chloe laughed, answering, "You put the moves on me in detention. Yeah, definitely crazy... and maybe a little sexy, too."

Beca scoffed, "You meant to say a lot sexy."

Chloe leaned in pressing a kiss to her lips. "Yeah, I did," she murmured, slowly pulling away.

"Okay," Beca said, taking a deep breath as her face turned serious. "I'm ready."

They got out of the car and walked through the sliding double doors to the nurses station in the center of the small lobby. Beca took another slow breath as the woman smiled at her and asked her name.

"Beca Mitchell."

The nurse checked her computer quickly and found her name, standing up and gesturing for them to follow her down a side hallway. They were shown into a single patient room, identical to the one she'd spent time in yesterday, with a comfortable reclining chair in the corner by a window with the blinds half open. There was another chair nearby, and a television hung in the corner facing the recliner.

Beca complied when the nurse asked her to sit down in the padded recliner, the numb feeling washing over her as the woman took her vitals and pronounced that everything looked good. She nodded and mumbled "thank you" as the woman left the room, turning to Chloe, who had taken a seat in the extra chair. A soft knock on the door drew their attention, but it was only Isaac dropping off Beca's laptop bag.

"Do you need anything else, DJ?" He asked, his voice low and calm.

Beca shook her head. "No, I'm good. Thanks Isaac. We'll call you when I'm done?"

Isaac gave her a sharp nod, glancing briefly at Chloe before leaving them alone in the room.

It wasn't more than a minute or two before the nurse returned, giving them both a smile. "Okay, everything looks good," she said, typing something into a small iPad. "I'm going to send your order through. How are you feeling, Ms. Mitchell?"

Beca shrugged, glancing at Chloe before answering, "I feel okay. A little nervous, but I guess that's normal."

The nurse nodded, an understanding look on her face. "Perfectly normal, and I'll add in something for that anxiety just in case."

"Uh, what do you mean? Don't I just get the chemo and then wait to throw up?" Beca asked, smirking a little at Chloe's exasperated sigh.

"Not exactly," the nurse replied. "I've just sent in the order for your chemo, as well as the pre-medications you need per Dr. Morris' instructions... things like steroids or anti-nausea meds to try and lessen the side effects of your treatment. You'll get those first, followed by the chemo. Did Dr. Morris explain that to you?"

Beca nodded, recalling her most recent phone call to the doctor. "Yeah, he told me that, and to be careful what I eat on treatment days," she said, quoting the man with a small smile.

The woman nodded. "Good, I'm glad you were paying attention," she said with a wink. "It'll probably take a few minutes for that order to go through and get filled. We'll get started when I come back."

"Okay, thanks," Beca said softly as she left the room, glancing at Chloe. "Quite the process, isn't it?"

Chloe looked at her, answering, "I swear, only you could get sarcastic and make jokes right before chemo."

Beca sighed, replying, "I don't know what else to do, Chlo. I don't know how to get through this."

"Hey, there's no right or wrong way to handle it. Just don't shut me out, okay?" Chloe asked, leaning forward to take the brunette's hand. "I'm here for you, and we're going to get through this together, and then you're going to take me back to that little villa in Cabo."

Beca chuckled softly, nodding in agreement. "Sounds good to me, babe."

They had to wait about thirty minutes for the nurse to return with the medication, Beca watching her as she hung three bags on the IV stand beside her chair.

"Saline, pre-medications, chemo," the nurse said without being prompted, pointing to each bag as she named it.

Beca nodded as the woman continued prepping everything, unbuttoning her flannel to allow her access to her upper chest above her tank top. The nurse carefully accessed her catheter port with the needle, then flushed the line with saline.

"Okay, now that everything's set I'll administer your pre-medications," the nurse explained, hooking the next bag up to her line.

Beca nodded silently, before asking, "Uh, how long will all this take?"

"A few hours at least," the nurse answered with a kind smile.

When they were finished with the pre-medications, the nurse disconnected that bag and hooked up the chemo. "Okay, you're all set. When the bag is empty you can go home. I'll be back to check on you, but do you need anything right now?"

Beca shook her head no, and the nurse left them alone. Chloe was looking hesitantly at her, which she found annoying.

"Okay, you can't look at me like that," Beca finally said, failing to keep the irritation out of her tone.

Chloe narrowed her eyes briefly, before sitting back in her chair. "Like how?"

Beca replied, "Like I'm going to fucking collapse right in front of you. I'm not made of glass, Beale. I'm not going to instantly start throwing up or go bald or freeze to death in this ninety degree room. That's not how this works." By the time she finished talking, she'd calmed herself down a small smile playing at her lips.

Chloe shook her head, stating, "I hate it when you do that. How do you do that?"

Beca laughed, "It's all over your face. Never play poker babe. I think I know all of your looks by now. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and it's one of the reasons why I love you so much." Realizing what Chloe was thinking about, she said quietly, "That week of detention was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Damn right," Chloe replied just as softly, looking up to meet Beca's eyes. "Aubrey did try to warn me that you were trouble."

"I don't think anyone could have seen this coming... or stopped it even if they wanted to," Beca said, her voice sincere. "I don't know if I believe in soulmates, but I can't imagine finding someone more perfect for me than you."

Tears fell from Chloe's eyes, and Beca panicked, leaning forward to take her hand. "Chlo? Are you okay?"

Chloe sniffled and wiped carefully at her eyes with her free hand. "I'm sorry, it's just... God, Beca I'm so scared. You're saying everything I want to hear even as you're sitting there with cancer hooked up to chemotherapy, and I'm so terrified of losing you..."

Beca squeezed her hand, her movements slightly limited by the tubes that hooked her up to the IV stand as she leaned forward in her chair. "Chlo, I'm not going anywhere. This cancer doesn't stand a chance."

Chloe shook her head, taking a deep breath and found her composure. "God, here I am making you comfort me when I'm the one who should be taking care of you. I'm the worst."

"Funny," Beca dead-panned, rolling her eyes. "Chloe, this is happening to me, but I'm not an idiot. All of this affects you too, and you're allowed to lean on me just like I'll literally be leaning on you later. You're not a robot... you're allowed to have feelings and emotions and reactions to this."

"Sounds like you've said that once or twice before," Chloe mumbled.

Beca hesitated, replying, "More like heard it enough times that it's seared into my brain. Let's just say I know all the right things to say to someone with a loved one fighting cancer."

Chloe didn't respond, and the pair stayed silent for a few minutes. Beca glanced up at her chemo bag, sighing at the way she couldn't tell a difference from when the nurse first brought it in. Turning back to Chloe, her gaze caught the laptop bag Isaac had brought.

"Hey, Chlo? Can I have my laptop and headphones please?"

"Sure, baby," Chloe answered, retrieving the items and passing them to the brunette, plugging the charging cord into a nearby wall outlet. "I'm gonna go grab some coffee if you're okay for a bit."

Beca nodded, returning the kiss Chloe pressed to her lips before exiting the room. She slipped her beats on and powered up her laptop, getting lost in her latest mix.

* * *

"Hmm?" Beca looked drowsily over at Chloe. She knew the redhead had asked her a question, and then repeated it twice, but her brain was simply not working.

Chloe's face was concerned as she said slowly, "Do you want to grab some dinner on the way back to the hotel?"

Beca's brain processed the word dinner, and she frowned as she tried to work out a response. "Uh, I'm not hungry. You can, though."

"Baby, are you okay? Do you need Isaac to pull over?" Chloe's voice was worried, and she was glancing nervously between the brunette and Isaac in the driver's seat.

"No," Beca said, closing her eyes and willing her brain to work. "No," she repeated, a little clearer. "Whatever they gave me is fucking with me... like I'm underwater."

Chloe bit back a smile, answering, "Bec, the nurse said you might have some drowsiness from the anti-anxiety meds."

Beca frowned, slumping back against the seat.

"Isaac, let's just get her back to the hotel," Chloe said softly. "We can order takeout or room service later."

Beca nodded in agreement, her eyes closed. She stumbled slightly getting out of the car before Chloe's arm wrapped protectively around her waist, supporting her. They made it up to her room without incident, and thankfully without encountering another person.

Beca went straight to the bed, feeling a little more in control despite the drowsiness. She propped herself up on some pillows and grabbed the remote, waiting patiently for Chloe to join her. When they were cuddled up on the bed, she handed the remote to Chloe so the redhead could pick a movie.

Chloe smiled, asking, "You sure you don't want to pick?"

Beca hummed her answer, pressing a kiss to Chloe's shoulder. "I'll probably fall asleep anyways."

Chloe nodded, already flipping through the options. Beca shifted closer, letting her head fall to rest on Chloe's chest and wrapped an arm around her stomach. They stayed that way for a few minutes, Beca just started to doze off when her eyes shot open.

Without a word she darted out of bed and into the bathroom, falling to her knees and pushing the toilet seat up just in time. Chloe was behind her seconds later, holding her hair back as she threw up into the bowl. Beca coughed after a few minutes, sitting back on her heels leaning forward with her arms on the rim of the bowl. Chloe leaned over and pressed the handle as Beca rested her cheek on her arm, realizing her face was damp with sweat.

Chloe ran a washcloth under cool water and pressed it to the back of her neck. Beca mumbled "thanks" as she took the cloth and pressed it against her face. She shifted over and sat down on the floor with her back against the tub, willing her body to calm down.

"Bec, let's get you to bed," Chloe said gently, though she didn't move from a foot away.

Beca looked up at her weakly and nodded. She let Chloe help her up and back to bed, not realizing she was shaking until she was warmly tucked under all the blankets.

"Chlo?" Beca asked, starting to shiver despite the layers.

"I'm here, baby," Chloe responded, quickly sliding into bed and pulling her close. "I'm here."

* * *

"How are you doing, Bec?"

Beca opened her eyes to see Chloe's face, recognizing the concern behind her smile. It was the final day of chemo, and she was looking forward to being back at home in her own bed. They were meeting with Scotty and Kommissar before heading for home, and Beca was dreading the conversation.

She didn't particularly want to answer her girlfriend's question either, because the truth was she felt terrible. Apparently pumping poison into your body for seven days straight makes you feel like shit, but she didn't want Chloe to worry more than she already did.

"I feel okay," Beca answered, hating how weak her voice sounded. In actuality she was exhausted from throwing up every night, with dark circles under her eyes due to the lack of restful sleep. The violent chills that had her teeth chattering no matter how many blankets she was wrapped in, usually followed by fevers and sweating that had her kicking them all off just as fast didn't help either. Knowing what to expect didn't make dealing with it any easier, and Beca knew it was only going to get worse. She was beyond ready for the three weeks at home to let her body rest and recover before the next cycle began, already thinking about curling up in bed with Zeus and not moving for several days.

"Beca..." Chloe's voice trailed off as she reached out to take her hand.

Beca frowned, knowing what Chloe wanted. "Okay, I don't feel that great. I'm really not looking forward to this meeting... they're gonna know something's up. I look like shit."

Chloe shook her head, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "You're beautiful. All you have to do is tell them and they'll do the rest. Then we can go home and take a bath and snuggle up in bed, okay?"

A bath sounded amazing, and the thought lifted her spirits a bit. Beca glanced up at the bag hanging from her IV stand, relieved to see it was almost empty.

"Yeah, that sounds good," she said finally, giving her girlfriend a smile.

A nurse came in a little while later and removed the needle from her port, letting her know she was free to go whenever she was ready. She'd had to stay longer after the first few days in case there were any serious reactions, and was relieved that now she could leave right away.

Beca slowly stood up, her whole body feeling weak, causing her to sit back down for a minute. Chloe helped her put on a jacket despite the fact it was late spring and warm outside, before quickly packing up her laptop and headphones. The nurse returned with a wheelchair for her, but Beca shook her head insisting she didn't need it. Isaac was waiting for them, Chloe walking beside her as they moved slowly toward the car.

Once they were seated comfortably in the backseat Beca nuzzled into Chloe's side as Isaac put her bag in the passenger seat and started off away from the hospital.

"You did so good, baby," Chloe murmured, kissing her forehead. There was a pause before Chloe spoke again, "Isaac, we still need to head downtown to meet with Scotty and Berit, remember?"

Beca smiled at that, having a feeling that Chloe was one of the only people who could get away with calling Kommissar by her real name. It had happened at some point during their housewarming party, the two women having the chance to talk and get to know each other a little bit and had been on a first name basis ever since. Seeing as Chloe was the most genuinely sweet and happy person she'd ever met, Beca wasn't surprised that her girlfriend had managed to charm her publicist who had the personality of a rock.

Isaac's eyes flashed in the rearview mirror, his voice calm as he answered, "Yes, I arranged for them to meet you at home. I thought that might be best."

Beca sighed gratefully at his words, her body relaxing knowing they had a few hours before the difficult conversation. She moved her arm over Chloe's stomach, still feeling a little drowsy from the pre-medications.

Chloe nodded at him, her fingertips stroking over Beca's arm and gently running through her hair.

Beca woke to her hair being pushed away from her face, Chloe whispering in her ear that they were home. She looked out the window to see their little house, feeling immensely grateful that she'd made it home without throwing up, though her thoughts turned negative realizing that meant the more immediate effects of her last treatment were still to come.

Isaac rounded the car and opened her door, helping her out. Chloe followed quickly, but Beca yawned and pushed her hands away. "I'm okay," she assured her. "Not crippled." Looking at Isaac, she asked, "When are they getting here?"

He checked his watch as he grabbed her bag from the front seat, answering, "Thirty minutes or so."

Beca nodded, moving slowly up the driveway to the path that led to the front door. Chloe fished her keys out of her purse and opened the door, letting Beca enter ahead of her. The trio went inside the empty house, Beca looking around for Zeus before realizing Sheila hadn't dropped him off yet. As much as she missed him, she was thankful for the quiet calm. A car door slammed from outside, making all three of them turn towards the sound, Isaac still standing in the open doorway.

"Or they're here now," he offered, shrugging at Chloe.

Scotty slid inside past Isaac, giving him an unhappy look. "We were all in LA and could have had this quick meeting before Beca came home. I don't see why you felt the need to..."

His voice trailed off as he finally looked at Beca, suddenly swiveling his head between all three of them.

Kommissar followed behind him, her expression more neutral. "The need to what?" She asked, her eyes on her phone.

"Beca?" Scotty's voice was weak as he took in her appearance. "What's going on?"

Kommissar looked up from her phone at that, remaining silent as she took in the situation. "I see," she finally said, looking back at Isaac. "Close the door."

"Beca," Scotty said again, moving closer to her.

Chloe stepped in smoothly, saying, "Scotty, let's sit down and we'll fill you both in. Okay?"

The man nodded, moving over to take a seat in one of the chairs in the living room, Kommissar occupying the other. Beca shuffled over to the couch and tucked herself into a corner spot. Chloe grabbed a blanket for her and she gave her an appreciative smile. Before Chloe could cover her with it, she felt the nausea hit immediately rushing to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth. She made it to the bathroom just in time, the situation becoming all too familiar to her.

She felt Chloe behind her with a comforting hand on her back, knowing there wasn't much she could do to help. Someone else appeared at the door and moments later there was a cool cloth on the back of her neck. Beca tried to mumble her thanks, but heaved into the bowl again before she could get the words out.

After a few minutes Beca coughed and tried to catch her breath, spitting into the bowl before shifting to sit on the floor. She took the cloth from the back of her neck and pressed her face into it, taking momentary relief in the cool fabric as the toilet flushed.

Beca took another minute to let her stomach settle, before slowly getting up off the floor. She turned on the sink and washed her hands, cupping some water to rinse her mouth out. Chloe disappeared momentarily and returned with the mouthwash from their bathroom, which she thankfully accepted.

They rejoined Scotty and Kommissar in the living room, Beca sitting down on the couch and immediately wrapping herself in a blanket. Chloe sat beside her, glancing up at Isaac by the door.

"Call me if you need anything," Isaac said, his eyes on Beca. "I'll stay in town for a few more days."

Chloe nodded, replying, "Thank you, Isaac."

He nodded and left the house, leaving the four of them alone to talk. Beca knew it was only a matter of time before the chills started, and she wanted to get this conversation over with as fast as possible.

Scotty looked pale in his chair while Kommissar remained as stoic as ever, waiting patiently with her laptop open for Beca or Chloe to start talking.

Beca took a breath, beginning, "No reason to draw this out. I was diagnosed with cancer a couple weeks ago. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, or CLL. I started treatment this week that's consisting of chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy."

Scotty just shook his head, slumping back in his chair. Kommissar's eye narrowed a fraction as she started typing, and Beca felt relieved that neither of them were reacting too emotionally.

"Shit, Beca, I'm so sorry," Scotty said, looking between her and Chloe. "What can we do?"

Beca answered, "I guess we need to come up with a plan. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to work, and I'm definitely useless while I'm undergoing chemo. Thankfully, I've got three weeks before my next cycle starts, so I won't look like death in a few days and I'll be able to get some work done."

Kommissar cut in before Scotty could reply, "My deepest sympathies Beca. I know we don't always see eye to eye, but I rather enjoy working with you."

Beca's eyebrows rose in surprise, mumbling, "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

The blonde shot her a look, her mouth almost curling into a smirk as she said, "Well, we can't all jump straight to the compliments."

Beca chuckled, knowing she should probably be embarrassed and yet only finding the humor in her comment. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

The moment disappeared as quickly as it arrived, Kommissar snapping back to business. "There are many things we can do to keep this under control and protect your name and privacy. Scotty, you need to alert Teddy and anyone at the label who needs to know. This information is strictly confidential, and I think including Teddy in some of those conversations will help to enforce that."

The blonde looked back at Beca, asking, "Can you finish P!nk's album? Obviously you won't start any new projects, and I would never ask you to do something that would negatively affect your treatment or recovery, but we need to let her know now if you can't handle it."

Beca nodded, answering, "I just need a few days to recover and get back on my feet, and then I'm planning on spending as much time as possible finishing that album. But yeah, I can't take on anything new. And I'm putting my own stuff on hold until I figure out exactly how the treatment is going to affect me."

Kommissar nodded, typing furiously as she glanced at Scotty. "Hey! Pay attention!"

Scotty snapped his head around to look at her. "Yeah... I am. I got it."

Beca snickered at him. "Got you whipped into shape pretty fast, huh?"

"That's not fair... I can't tease a cancer patient," Scotty replied, looking helpless.

"Oh fuck you, Scotty. I'm sick.. I'm not dead. Don't start treating me differently, I'm still the same pain in the ass superstar you've always claimed I am," Beca said, letting her frustration out. "I'm still me."

Kommissar shook her head at him, cutting in again and saving him from having to respond. "We can leverage this, Beca. Hear me out," she said when Beca's angry expression turned her way, "I'm not talking about publicity stunts, I'm talking about being open about your journey and letting people see you fight. I think you should put out a statement now, and not try to hide it until you can't anymore. I'm not saying get your own reality show or anything, but you could be a really powerful source of encouragement for anyone going through something similar. Leverage your Twitter and Instagram and let your fans see a bit of your struggle."

Beca frowned, not sure she wanted to become the public cancer icon. Kommissar already gave her hell for not maximizing her social media presence, the blonde finally demanding access to the accounts to post on her behalf. Beca refused at first, finally giving in when she told the brunette if she didn't like any of the posts she could change the passwords and cut her off again. Scotty was in on it as well, taking photos and videos of her and sending them to the publicist to post on her accounts, and Facebook and YouTube pages.

"What exactly are you thinking?" Beca asked, indulging the woman for a moment.

"I think you should document your journey," Kommissar answered simply. "Photos, videos, blogging... all of the above. The method is up to you, really, but it could have a wider impact than you imagine. As for what you choose to share with the public, well, that's completely up to you. Share as much or little as you want."

Beca crossed her arms, retorting, "I'm not making a video or a blog or whatever that shows me dying. Why the fuck would I want to do that?"

"Bec," Chloe's voice hitched, her hand gently placed on the brunette's arm. "What about documenting how you beat cancer? Put a more positive spin on it."

"No," Beca said firmly, her gaze on Kommissar. "The last thing I want around after I'm gone is a bunch of pictures and videos and journal entries about what it feels like to die... or how hard it is to watch everyone who loves me die a little too. You don't understand what's about to happen to me and everyone around me. This is all just a fucking game to you. "

"Beca." It was Scotty this time, and Beca only realized Chloe wasn't beside her anymore when she heard their bedroom door close.

"Shit," Beca mumbled, closing her eyes and sinking back into the couch.

Scotty moved to sit beside her on the couch. "You're thinking about it the wrong way. The decision is up to you, and neither of us will argue with what you decide, but think of this. There are people in your life that love you want every memory of you they can get. You have more people than you know behind you in this fight that you can lean on. Even people you don't know could be sources of inspiration, and you could be one to them," he said, glancing towards the back of the house.

"I cannot imagine what you're going through, but she loves you. When you say shit like that... it sounds like you've given up before the fight's even begun. You owe her more than that," Scotty finished softly.

Beca sighed, knowing he was right. It was hard to stay positive with all the negative thoughts swirling around in her brain. She hated the fact that most of her memories of her mother were after she'd gotten sick. It wasn't how she wanted to remember her, and it wasn't how she wanted to be remembered.

Kommissar added quietly, "You can't have room in your head for those thoughts, Beca. You have to believe that you're going to survive, and this will be the proof of how strong you are... what you're capable of overcoming. Yes, it will be hard and things will get worse, but then they will get better."

Beca looked at her, thinking for a moment. "I get to decide what I post? And what gets released?"

Kommissar nodded. "Completely. My recommendation would be to record and document as much as possible, but only publicly release what you feel comfortable with. We should put out a statement as soon as possible, and maybe do a single press appearance if you feel up to it. But the final decision is up to you."

"Okay," Beca said, shivering a little as goosebumps appeared along her arms. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her, knowing it wouldn't do much good. "I'll do it."

Scotty shot her a concerned look. "Beca, are you okay?"

Her teeth started to chatter slightly, and she shook her head. "Chloe," she whispered, curling up into a ball and trying to burrow further into the couch. "I need Chloe."

Scotty was off the couch at the mention of the redhead, who came tearing back into the room moments after he disappeared.

"Bec, baby, I'm here," she said soothingly, wrapping her arms around the shaking brunette.

Beca nodded, looking up to see the evidence of tears in Chloe's red, puffy eyes. "I'm sor... sorry I ss... said that," she stuttered, taking in every ounce of Chloe's body heat she could. "I didd... didn't mean it."

Chloe gave her a weak smile and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I know baby."

Beca pressed closer as her body shook, burrowing her face into Chloe's neck.

"I think we're done for now," Chloe's voice sounded from above her, her tone warning them not to argue.

Kommissar replied, "Yes, of course. Beca has agreed to allow her journey to be documented. Chloe, will you help us with that? Any photos or videos will help. Encourage her to talk or write about what she's going through or feeling."

Chloe's voice was sharp as she answered, "Right now, the only thing I'm going to do is get Beca to bed. If you two could see yourselves out..."

"Yes, of course. My apologies," Kommissar replied immediately. "I didn't mean to sound callous."

"I know, Berit. I appreciate all you've done and will do for Beca," Chloe said, her voice tired. "Of course I'll help, but right now she's my main concern."

Beca looked up and mumbled a weak "Thank you" as Scotty and Kommissar left, the publicist promising to send a simple, concise statement over in the morning for her to review. After the door closed, Beca got to her feet and unsteadily made her way into their bedroom to burrow under the covers until the fever hit. She could hear Chloe talking softly on the phone in the kitchen, before appearing and slipping into bed beside her.

"Everything okay?" Beca asked, immediately pressing closer to her.

Chloe smiled. "Yeah, baby. I told Sheila to just bring Zeus by in the morning. Is that okay?"

Beca nodded, letting her legs tangle with Chloe's under the sheets. "Yeah, but not later than that. I miss him."

"You got it," Chloe promised with a small laugh. "I'm sure he misses you too."

Beca stayed silent for a minute, before whispering, "You know I don't want to die, right?"

Chloe tensed before pulling her closer, answering, "I know."

* * *

Beca slowly opened her eyes, sleepily looking around their bedroom. Chloe was gone and small bits of sunlight were trickling in through the gaps in the curtains. The first thing she noticed was that Zeus was curled up on the bed next to her, his head resting on her stomach.

"Hey bud," she croaked out, smiling as he lifted his head and thumped his tail happily against the bed.

Beca reached out to pet him, receiving multiple kisses for her trouble. Zeus got to his feet, stretching dramatically before moving to lick her face. She tried to fend him off, but he easily overpowered her weak struggles, letting out an "oof" as he plopped down across her stomach.

"Happy now?" She asked, grinning at his face. "I missed you too, dude."

The door opened and Chloe peeked her head in, smiling at the pair of them. "Oh good, you're awake. Sheila dropped him off and we were chatting for a bit, but she's is about to leave. I was going to wake you up to see her real quick before she left. Want to come out to the kitchen?"

Beca nodded, snapping her fingers and pointing at the floor, saying, "Off." Zeus immediately jumped down and went to Chloe, allowing Beca to slowly climb out of bed.

"How're you feeling?"

Beca stretched her aching muscles, answering, "Like I got hit by a truck full of chemo."

Chloe smiled, moving to wrap her in a hug. "Your robe and slippers are over there on the chair. Want some toast and coffee?"

Beca nodded. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

She walked over to the chair as Chloe left with Zeus, sliding her feet into the warm slippers and pulled her robe on, cinching it tight around her waist. Moving into the bathroom, she splashed some water on her face and dried it with a towel, looking up at her reflection in the mirror. The dark circles under her eyes and tired expression was the only major physical difference, though she knew it wouldn't take long for more obvious changes to take place.

Beca pulled her hair back into a messy bun before shuffling out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, finding Sheila seated at the bar talking to Chloe who was pouring a cup of coffee. They looked up as Zeus greeted her with his tail wagging furiously.

"Hey kid," Sheila said, sliding off the chair to give her a hug. "How're you feeling?"

Beca sighed, answering, "Like I wish people would stop asking me how I'm feeling." She regretted the bite to her tone, apologizing immediately, "I'm sorry. I feel like shit and I'm sick of it already."

"It's okay, Bec," Sheila said, ignoring her apology. "You can be real with us. You don't have to put on a brave face and tell me everything's fine. I want to know how you're really doing."

Beca gave her an appreciative smile. "That means a lot, stepmonster. I'll be sure to have Chloe catch my next puking episode on film for you."

Chloe shook her head at that, catching Sheila's raised eyebrow and explained, "Beca is going to document her journey. Photos, videos... that type of thing to help encourage herself and others who are fighting for their life. It was Berit's idea, but I happen to think it's a good one."

Sheila looked confused for a moment. "Who's Berit, again?"

"Kommissar," Beca supplied. "Chloe charmed her and is now the only one allowed to use her real name. I tried it once and I could tell she would have slapped me if I was within reach... or if I didn't sign her paychecks," she added with a chuckle.

Sheila nodded in understanding before her expression turned to concern. "Beca, are you sure you want to do this? It's a lot to go public with."

Beca shrugged, taking a seat at the bar beside the blonde and nodding thanks as Chloe placed a cup of coffee and a piece of toast in front of her. "It's not all necessarily going to be posted publicly. I didn't want to do it at all at first, but if I can help other people struggling with cancer just by letting them know I'm going through it too... how can I say no to that?"

"Not everyone is under the same kind of spotlight you are," Sheila said quietly. "I'm not trying to talk you out of it, kid, just remember that everything you post is out there forever."

"I know," Beca replied softly. "But I can't hide this. People are going to find out eventually. At least by getting out there I'm showing I'm not afraid or ashamed. It's worth it to me if I can convince one person out there that they're not alone. That cancer can get anyone, even someone famous."

Chloe and Sheila remained silent as Beca nibbled on the piece of toast, still not feeling very hungry. She took a sip of coffee, before shaking her head and setting the mug back down, pushing it away.

"Dick move, cancer," she muttered under her breath. "Taking away the amazingness of coffee is just a low blow."

Chloe chuckled, taking the mug back. "Give your body a few days to recover, Bec. I'm sure your love of coffee will return."

Beca glanced back at Sheila, asking, "How's dad?"

"He's okay," Sheila said, nodding for emphasis. "It was tough for him the first night or two after you told us, but he's behind you all the way. He said now that the semester is over, he'd like to go to LA with you for your next round."

Beca shook her head no, but Chloe butted in, "That would be great, since I can't go next time. I was actually going to talk to the both of you about that."

Beca frowned, but didn't say anything. She knew that her next round of chemo was scheduled for the last week of classes and graduation at Barden, and that Chloe had already taken the entire last week off to be with her for her first round, but the thought of undergoing her second round without her girlfriend there to help was devastating. She hadn't told Chloe that, of course, not wanting the redhead to feel worse about not being able to be there.

Chloe had gotten the email from Dr. Williams last week that the senior class had voted her their favorite teacher, and the one they wanted to speak on their behalf at graduation. Beca had been thrilled, and Chloe had tears in her eyes as she read the subsequent emails from several graduating seniors telling her how much they loved having her as a teacher. It had killed Beca to find out she wouldn't be able to go, knowing how important this moment was for Chloe. She wanted to be there to support her, the way Chloe had supported all of her dreams.

Beca spoke up, the pride evident in her voice as she said, "The graduating seniors voted Chloe as the teacher they wanted to hear from most. I'm so sorry I'm going to miss it, babe. I should be there to support you."

Chloe shook her head, replying, "Bec, we talked about this. It's fine. Your job is to get better."

"I should fucking be there, Chloe. This is a big deal, and I'm so happy for you. I should be there, bragging to anyone who will listen about how amazing you are," Beca continued, the frustration evident in her tone, before letting out a defeated sigh. "I should be there."

Chloe looked helplessly at Sheila, knowing that nothing she could say would make Beca feel any better about missing this moment.

Sheila silently took in the interaction, before turning back to Chloe. "Congratulations, Chloe. That speaks volumes to the kind of person and teacher you are. Ben and I will both go with Beca for her next round of treatment. I'll make sure to free up my schedule."

"You don't have to do that," Beca mumbled, staring at the countertop. "I'll be okay."

Chloe subtly shook her head at the blonde, and Sheila replied, "Kid, good luck keeping your father away. That's all I'll say on the matter."

Beca sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she leaned back in the chair. "Fine."

"Good," Sheila said with a smile. "I'm gonna head out. Take good care of my grand-doggy, alright? He was an angel for us all week."

Beca nodded, standing up and giving the woman a hug. "Thanks for watching him. Scotty promised to find us a house to rent for the next round. I'll let him know to find one with enough room for all of us."

"Good," Sheila said again, hugging her tightly. "See you soon, kid."

"You know where to find me," Beca said, her smile breaking up her sarcastic tone. She wandered into the bedroom in search of her laptop while Chloe walked Sheila to the door, the two women murmuring in soft tones she couldn't understand.

Beca returned to the kitchen with her laptop, perching back on the chair at the bar and powering it on. Chloe sat down beside her, reaching over to trace her fingers over Beca's back, making her hum in approval. She opened up the email from Kommissar, her eyes quickly scanning the words before opening up the statement. It was a standard press release, giving only the basic details of her condition, and she nodded in silent approval.

"Look good?" Chloe asked, her eyes on Beca instead of the screen.

Beca answered, "Yep. Simple and to the point. Just like Kommissar."

Chloe chuckled, "I like her."

"I know," Beca said, her tone resigned. "I like her too. I'm not sure there's anyone else I'd want to handle this situation. She's like a fucking bank vault... stoic, expressionless, emotionless."

"Hey, she cares about you more than you know," Chloe interjected, reaching over to lace their fingers together.

Beca smirked. "She'd have to have feelings first."

Chloe rolled her eyes and shook her head at that.

Beca glanced back at the email, adding, "She wants me to go on Ellen in a couple weeks."

"I love that show!" Chloe said excitedly, bouncing a little in her chair. "Are you going to do it?"

"I said I would," Beca replied, grinning a little at Chloe's reaction. "You know I've been on Ellen before, right?"

Chloe nodded, answering, "Yes, but I didn't get to go with you that time."

"And who says you get to go this time?" Beca teased, raising an eyebrow?

"Trust me, Mitchell," Chloe said, suddenly serious. "You do not want to go there."

Beca backed down immediately. "You're right, I don't. Of course you can come with me."

Chloe winked, leaning in for a kiss. "Damn straight."

Beca sighed dramatically, shaking her head even as she pulled Chloe in for another kiss. "I love you."

"I know, that's why you're bringing me to meet Ellen!"

Beca rolled her eyes as she typed out a reply to Kommissar. "Yeah yeah," she muttered, focused on the email. "Shit, I need to tell Alecia before this goes out. I can't let her find out like that."

Chloe nodded in agreement. "You definitely need to call her."

"Right," Beca said, finishing up the email to her publicist, letting the woman know she would do Ellen but to wait to release the statement until she could talk to Alecia before hitting send.

"Okay, one down and one to go," Beca sighed, grabbing her phone and navigating to Alecia's name. She hit the number and pressed the phone to her ear, feeling nervous all over again as the phone started to ring.

"Hey, if it isn't my favorite producer!"

Beca smiled at the greeting, before remembering why she was calling. "Hey, uh, there's something I need to tell you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a massive thank you to my beta Arsto who has done an absurd amount of research for this fic. She's the best.
> 
> Thanks also to everyone who left me a review, even if it was to say you hated it and are done reading. I get that this story isn't for everyone, and that's cool. I'm writing this for me, and anyone else who wants to come along for the ride.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday everyone! Just a couple disclaimers I keep forgetting to put up here:
> 
> I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of the characters.
> 
> All reference to medical diagnoses/treatment/knowledge is a direct result of research or conversations with folks who have first hand knowledge. We're doing the best we can, but out of necessity some liberties will be taken. Feel free to leave a comment or shoot me a PM if you notice a glaring issue with the medical bits, and I'll be more than happy to correct them!
> 
> Music:
> 
> Endlessly – The Cab

* * *

Beca patiently sat still while the woman finished touching up her makeup, thanking her as she exited the dressing room. Chloe smiled at her from her spot on the small couch before looking back down at her phone, calming the nerves that had gathered in her stomach.

It was her final week before the next round of treatment, and she was admittedly feeling okay today. She knew there were good days and bad days ahead, but at least for now she'd been able to maintain her normal routine, only slightly inhibited by the aching pain she'd grown used to over the past week. The exhaustion and other side effects had lasted a few days, but after that Beca had been able to go back to work on P!nk's album. She was determined to finish it, recalling the conversation they'd had when she broke the news to the woman over the phone.

Alecia had been incredibly supportive, but was admittedly relieved that Beca was going to finish her album. She'd immediately offered to go on Ellen with her when that news dropped, to show her support and for the pair of them to promote the album. Beca thought it was a great idea, and was thankful to have the woman's support. They decided to perform a new version of one of her older songs, and leave the new stuff for the album drop.

Beca looked up at herself in the mirror, restraining herself from touching her face. It was subtle, but she could already see minor changes happening. Her face was slightly thinner, her cheeks sunken in a bit. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, jerking back in surprise when more than a few strands came loose wrapped around her fingers. She bit her lip at the way tears pooled in her eyes, not wanting to mess up her makeup.

Chloe noticed though, and she felt the redhead behind her a moment later.

"Bec..." Chloe's voice trailed off hesitantly, her arms wrapping around her in a gentle hug.

Beca shook her head, willing her not to say anything. "Don't," she finally said, releasing the strands into the nearby trash can on the floor. "I can't cry right now, and if you say something I won't be able to stop."

Chloe pressed a kiss to her cheek, respecting her request. "You look beautiful."

"Yeah, for now. Will you still think that when I'm bald?" Beca retorted, her eyes narrowing with the frustration in her voice.

"I'll always think you're beautiful," Chloe answered softly. "You still make my heart skip a beat."

Beca rolled her eyes, though her smile was back. "God, you're cheesy."

"Well, you started it with your cheesy romantic songs," Chloe countered. "I'm playing catch up."

Beca smirked, moving quickly out of Chloe's embrace to grab her guitar before returning to her seat. "You mean like this?" Beca asked, strumming the opening chords to Endlessly before switching to the chorus, singing it softly for her girlfriend.

The door swinging wide open had them both turning to look as it opened to reveal Ellen herself.

"Hi there," she said with a smile. "Why wasn't I invited to the sing-along?"

They both shook their heads no, Beca getting to her feet and setting her guitar back in the case with a smile. "Spur of the moment and all. Thanks for having me on today," she said, giving the blonde a quick hug. "This is my girlfriend Chloe."

"Well, I couldn't pass up the chance to ask you all sorts of personal questions," Ellen joked, turning to Chloe. "Hi, I'm Ellen. It's so wonderful to meet you."

Chloe blushed as she shook Ellen's hand. "You too. I love your show. I can't even believe I'm here right now."

"Oh, that's so sweet. Thank you," Ellen replied, shooting them both a wide smile. "I wanted to stop by and say hello and, uh, make sure you still want to really go into this in such detail. We can always focus on the new album."

Beca shook her head. "Thanks, but I need to do this. We can talk about the album, too. Alecia is really excited to perform."

Ellen nodded, answering, "Well, alright then. I'll see you out there. Chloe, it was nice to meet you."

"You too!" Chloe called, grinning ear to ear at Beca after the door shut again. "Bec! I just met Ellen!"

Beca chuckled, "Yeah, Chlo. She's the host, and all."

She laughed at how starstruck her girlfriend was, knowing she hadn't even acted this way at the Grammy's. They didn't have to wait too long before a production assistant came to get them, directing Chloe to her seat in the audience and Beca to where she would wait for Ellen to introduce her. She watched Ellen do her dancing intro through the audience, stunned to see them all wearing simple white masks over their mouths. She was touched that Ellen would go to such lengths for her, knowing that her immune system was compromised from the chemo.

Before she knew it Ellen was saying, "I'm sure all of you have seen the announcement by now that my guest today is Beca Mitchell..." Ellen paused for the loud applause and cheers from the audience to die down before continuing, "Was recently diagnosed with leukemia. She's here today to talk about her journey, as well as her new album with P!nk. Let's welcome five time Grammy winner Beca Mitchell!"

A nudge in her back had Beca quickly taking a few steps out towards the stage where Ellen stood waiting for her, smiling and giving the crowd a small wave as she made her way over. They hugged quickly before she took a seat in the chair nearest Ellen, smiling again at the crowd as they settled down.

"You look fantastic, by the way," Ellen said when the crowd quieted, looking back at them asking, "Doesn't she, everyone?"

Beca blushed at the cheers, waiting until they quieted again before saying, "Thank you, really. And thank you all for the masks, it means a lot."

Ellen nodded, pulling out her own mask and putting it on theatrically, causing Beca to laugh. Ellen pulled it off, saying, "Yes, can we get a shot of this? Since Beca is undergoing treatment, we've asked everyone in the audience to wear a mask out of respect for her. I would, but then you wouldn't be able to hear me and that would be a travesty."

Beca laughed at her delivery, knowing full well how funny the woman could be. "I really appreciate the gesture."

Ellen tossed the mask somewhere behind their chairs, turning back to Beca. "So, this has been a crazy couple of years for you, leading up to this diagnosis. Tell us a little about how this happened?"

Beca nodded, answering, "Well, it has definitely been crazy. I was on tour last fall, and I was actually enjoying being in one place for a little while working on my music and this new album with P!nk, which I think is going to surprise a lot of people. It's fantastic. But, uh, yeah... I was diagnosed with a form of leukemia a little over a month ago, and it's changed everything."

Ellen hummed sympathetically, asking, "What's been the biggest change since you found out?"

"Probably just coming to terms with being so sick when I didn't feel sick," Beca answered. "Although now since I've started treatment I feel pretty sick," she joked with a smile. "Funny how that happens."

"I was going to ask that," Ellen said, jumping onto her train of thought. "Because you really do look amazing. What's been the hardest thing to come to terms with mentally?"

Beca paused, wondering just how personal she should get. A glance at Chloe beaming a smile her way from the audience gave her a boost of confidence. "Probably having to find out with my girlfriend sitting beside me, and then having to tell my parents," she admitted, her mind going back to that day in the hospital room. "It was so unexpected that day, and then having to tell my dad about my diagnosis was awful."

"Without sounding too insensitive, why was that so horrible? Wouldn't you want him to know?" Ellen asked.

Beca had kept her personal life quiet, not telling anyone the story of how her mother passed away. She took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm. "I knew it would be difficult for him to hear because my mother passed away from leukemia when I was much younger."

There was a gasp throughout the audience, and even Ellen looked surprised at her answer. "Wow, I can see why that would be so difficult. This isn't something you've talked about before, correct?"

Beca shook her head, "No, I tend to keep quiet about my personal life."

"Well, we appreciate you being here and being so open," Ellen said, giving her a warm smile. "Speaking of your personal life, care to tell us a little bit about the redhead in the front row?"

Beca laughed, quipping, "Never met her before in my life," as the camera panned to Chloe, looking gorgeous as ever and still smiling despite her words. "No, um, that's my girlfriend Chloe. She's been this incredible presence in my life since we started dating, and has been there every step of the way. I have no idea how I'd get through this without her."

"What was her reaction to the news?" Ellen asked, shooting a smile at Chloe.

Beca hesitated, before answering, "Um, she took it better than I did, I think?" She also looked at Chloe who nodded yes, making everyone in the audience laugh. "Yeah, so I pretty much freaked out, and she was more focused and positive. She helped me calm down a bit, and then helped me tell my parents."

"Sounds like you're lucky to have her," Ellen said, wrapping up that part of the interview. "We'll chat more with Beca when we come back, and maybe convince her to play a little game as well."

Beca smiled, knowing it was just for a cut. "I knew you'd wrap me into playing a game."

Ellen grinned at her, replying, "It's fun, you'll like it."

There was a quick commercial break, which Beca spent glancing at Chloe and half listening to Ellen's brief conversation with one of the production assistants.

"Welcome back to the show, and we're still here with Beca Mitchell and I'm going to ask her to play a little game with me before we bring out P!nk to talk about their new album," Ellen said as the applause died down again. "This game is called Oh Caption, My Caption, and how it works is a picture will pop up and we'll have ten seconds to come up with a caption for it. You're funny, you're on Twitter, it's gonna be great."

Beca laughed and nodded, "Okay. Sounds great."

Ellen looked off to the side at a producer, saying, "I'll start? And then she'll go after?"

Beca followed her gaze, shrugging when the guy nodded his approval of the plan.

Ellen continued, "Okay, good. Go."

Beca looked at the screen in front of them, which suddenly came to life with a photo of a group of people sitting side by side on a bench with an older woman off to the side.

Ellen studied it for a moment before saying, "No Grandma, we're not going to crop you out of this picture."

Beca laughed along with the crowd, finding it completely accurate and hysterical. She forced herself to focus, knowing now it was her turn. The screen shifted to a photo of a boy standing with his arm wrapped around a vacuum.

Thinking fast, she said, "I wanted a pony, but my mom said this was more practical." Everyone laughed again, and she relaxed a little starting to enjoy the game.

The next photo showed a startled looking baby, and Ellen only paused for a moment before saying, "Wait, that's where I came from?!"

Beca laughed again, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth and wondered why she agreed to play this game with a comedian. She recovered quickly as the next photo was a group of people at the beach, except one was dressed in black long sleeves, pants, and boots.

"Uh, cousin Gertrude found an easier way than working out to get her body beach ready."

They both laughed as the picture changed again, showing a man and a small child holding sparklers.

Ellen said, "And this was the day he lost custody of the child."

Beca chuckled again, before letting out a laugh as the next photo showed Ellen between her wife Portia and Katy Perry, except Ellen was staring open mouthed at Katy's cleavage. "Um, Ellen DeGeneres expressing the inner feelings of every man, woman, and child in America."

The photo changed again to one of a man sitting in a chair with a woman standing next to him holding an ax. Behind them was a wood-paneled wall with a window covered in horrible drapes. They both let out a surprised shout, before Ellen swiftly said, "Yes, it was horrible, but the real crime was those curtains."

Beca laughed again, leaning back in her chair at how seamlessly the hilarious captions spilled from Ellen's lips. "How do you do that?" She asked, still trying to recover.

Before Ellen could answer, a new image appeared on the screen. Beca's eyes widened when she saw it was a candid shot through the partially open door of her playing the guitar for Chloe in the dressing room before the show, and her surprise was only magnified when it turned into a video that started playing.

"What?!" Beca exclaimed, looking stunned at Ellen, who only winked as the audience let out a collective "Awww."

"Isn't that adorable," Ellen said, before captioning the video, "What it's like to be Beca Mitchell's girlfriend!"

Beca looked at Chloe who was grinning at her slight embarrassment. "Very sneaky," she said with a laugh, shaking her head.

"Well, I'm an accomplished stalker in addition to a comedian, surprise artist, and professional dancer," Ellen joked, before saying, "We'll be right back with P!nk!"

They cut away to commercial again, a few crew members carried an additional chair onto the stage and quickly adjusted the setup to allow for the third person.

Beca shook her head, saying to Ellen, "I was definitely not expecting that. Well played."

Ellen grinned back at her. "Gotta be on your toes when you come to my show. It was too sweet of a moment to pass up."

"You're gonna ruin all my badass street cred if you keep showing clips like that," Beca shot back as they got ready to return from the commercial break.

"You'll live," Ellen retorted good-naturedly, before turning to look into the camera. "Our musical guest today is a three time Grammy winner herself, and has been hard at work on a new album with her new producer Beca here. Please welcome my good friend P!nk!"

Beca glanced over to the side to see Alecia step out from backstage to a loud cheer, grinning at her freshly dyed pink hair. She got up as the woman approached, giving her a hug before stepping aside so she could hug Ellen as well.

Once they were all seated again, Ellen got things rolling by saying, "Hey, how are you? Thanks so much for being here today."

"Thanks for having me," Alecia responded with a smile, adding, "I'm good, things are good."

Ellen continued, "Especially since you're working with this one right here on your new album, correct?"

Alecia nodded, answering, "Beca is incredible. We've had a blast working together these past few months and I can't wait for everyone to hear the album."

Ellen looked to Beca, asking, "And is the feeling mutual?"

Beca shook her head, smirking as she said, "Definitely not," causing everyone to laugh at her sarcastic tone. "No, uh, I mean it's P!nk... like, I'm the luckiest ever that she wanted to work with me."

"I'm sure," Ellen quipped, grinning at the pair of them, before addressing Alecia again. "Okay, so I have to ask what your reaction was when Beca told you the news?"

Alecia didn't hesitate, answering, "I told her she better finish my album."

Beca laughed at the serious look on her face, before shaking her head. "She didn't say that."

"I did. Totally did," Alecia shot back, before breaking down and laughing. "Um, it was definitely a shock, but I told her that I had her back and to do what she needed to do. You know, put herself first and kick cancer's ass!"

The audience cheered loudly at that statement, despite Ellen's eyes going a little wide at the cursing.

Alecia realized it immediately, asking, "Can I say that?"

Ellen shrugged, answering, "We'll bleep it out, it's fine. Beca, I think we all want to know if there will be a delay in releasing this album?"

Beca shook her head no. "I don't think so. Maybe a week or two, but that could have happened anyways. I've been feeling pretty good for the past few weeks, and am almost done with my part. I've got my second cycle of treatment next week, but as of now the album is right on schedule and we can't wait for everyone to hear it."

"And I hear you two have a sneak peek for us today?" Ellen said, smoothly transitioning into their performance.

They both nodded, Alecia saying, "Yeah, Beca came up with this incredible arrangement for one of my older hits and we thought it would be... perfect... to play today."

Beca rolled her eyes at the strategic pause as Ellen caught on right away.

"Ah, I see what you did there," Ellen said with a smile.

Alecia winked at her as Ellen said, "We'll be right back with a special performance from P!nk and new producer Beca Mitchell!"

* * *

Beca slumped down in the backseat of the car as Sheila slid in beside her, feeling completely drained as she buckled her seatbelt. Today had made her first day of treatment seem like a cakewalk, seeing as she got her MAT infusion and chemo one after the other. While they were able to speed things up a little since they knew how her body would react, she'd still spent a solid eight hours at the hospital and was beyond ready to leave. She had met with Doctor Morris yesterday and gotten an updated CBC. He had warned her not to expect much change yet, but it was still a little disappointing to find out. Beca was thankful he said it wasn't necessary to do a bone marrow biopsy after each round, and would probably wait until after the third treatment cycle before checking it against her initial baseline results.

Ben made sure they were all in the car before pulling away from the hospital and heading toward the house they rented for the week. Scotty had delivered on a small, unassuming home in a quiet neighborhood, the only downside being it was at least a thirty minute drive from the hospital. It wasn't ideal, but that was the sacrifice for privacy.

Since both her parents were staying with her for the week, Beca had told Isaac to stay in Nashville with his family. He'd immediately offered to stay in California as long as she needed when he found out, but Beca refused to ask him to spend that kind of time away from his family. He'd been traveling back and forth as needed all spring, but now she didn't see the point in him being there unless it was absolutely necessary. She'd told him to think of it as a much needed paid vacation, and nothing the man said could change her mind, finally promising to let him know if she needed him there.

Knowing Zeus was waiting for her back at the house gave her a small lift, but it was hard to move past the fact that Chloe wouldn't be there. Beca knew that her girlfriend simply couldn't take any more time off from school, as well as how important attending and speaking at graduation was, but it was hard to focus on that as the treatment started to kick in. She'd leaned heavily on Chloe during her first cycle, and as thrilled as she was that her parents were here, it wasn't the same as having the redhead there to hold her and tell her everything would be fine.

Beca felt her stomach shift a little, praying she could keep from throwing up until they made it back to the house. A quick glance out the window told her they were almost there, and she took a slow, deep breath trying to regain control.

Sheila eyed her suspiciously, asking softly, "You okay, kid? Need your dad to pull over?"

Beca shook her head no, not daring to open her mouth.

It didn't convince anyone, and Ben said, "Bec, we're almost there but I can pull over if you need me to."

"Please stop talking," Beca muttered quickly, taking another breath and leaning back against the seat with her eyes closed. If they kept talking about pulling over so she could throw up, she was definitely not going to be able to make it back to the house.

"We're here," Ben said, pulling into the driveway.

Beca sighed in relief, opening the door before the car even came to a complete stop. Her last bit of control evaporated the minute she moved to climb out, instead changing tactics to lean over and throw up on the driveway, but thankfully not in the car. Sheila was quick to place a soothing hand on her back, saying something to Ben that Beca didn't hear.

After a minute she felt enough relief to try and make it into the house, sliding out the opposite side of the car, meeting her dad at the door and gratefully accepting the cool cloth he offered her.

"Chloe said this helps," he said, a helpless look on his face.

Beca nodded, pressing it against her face as she made her way to the closest bathroom with Sheila right behind her. She dropped to her knees in front of the toilet, smiling briefly at Zeus' whines from outside the door before throwing up again.

A few minutes later she weakly made her way to the bathroom nearest her bedroom to brush her teeth and rinse with mouthwash, letting her hand rest on Zeus' head when he came to a stop beside her. "Want to take a nap with me, bud?" She asked weakly, grinning as he followed her into the room and jumped on the bed ahead of her.

Sheila appeared at the door, asking, "Need anything?"

Beca shook her head, asking back, "Where did dad go?"

Sheila hesitated, answering, "He went to the store. He'll be back soon. Is it just the throwing up we need to worry about, or..."

Beca felt her stomach drop a little, despite understanding that he needed some space. "Okay, I'm just gonna nap. Zeus should keep me warm when the chills set in. Last time I was really tired and sore, like hurts everywhere sore, and there was the occasional fever and sweats. The random puking is the worst of it," she said with a tired smile.

Sheila nodded at her and returned her smile as Zeus curled up right next to her, laying his head protectively over Beca's chest. "Okay, kid. Seems like you're in good hands right now."

Beca nodded as the blonde closed the door, her eyes drifting shut from exhaustion moments later.

* * *

"Okay, you're all set. I'll be back to check on you in a little bit."

Beca nodded as the nurse left the room, before laying back a bit in her chair. She usually worked on her music during chemo, occasionally taking a break to go for a short walk, but wasn't feeling particularly inspired today.

Sheila glanced between Ben and Beca, before getting to her feet. "I'm gonna go grab a cup of coffee. Either of you want anything?"

Beca just shook her head, missing the look that passed between her parents and opening her eyes at the sound of the door closing once more.

Ben looked over at her with a weak smile, asking, "Do you want your laptop and headphones, Bec?"

She shook her head. "No, not today. I don't feel like it."

"Oh, okay," Ben answered, looking around uncomfortably.

Beca sighed, speaking softly. "You don't have to do this, you know. I know it's hard."

Ben frowned, staring at the floor as he answered, "Beca, there is nowhere else I'd rather be right now."

"Oh, bullshit," Beca shot back, crossing her arms over her stomach. "I was there too, you know. I might have been young, but I knew what was happening. You lied to me then and you're lying to me now."

"That's not fair, Bec. You were a kid! We didn't know how to handle it," Ben replied, his frustration and hurt evident. "We eventually told you the truth, and I haven't lied to you since. Present time included."

Beca shook her head. "This is the last place you want to be right now. You can't even fucking look at me!"

"Because I can't lose you!" Ben exclaimed, finally meeting her eyes and showing her the fear and hurt within them. "I can't lose you, Bec."

"You won't," Beca answered, her voice suddenly calm.

"I already apologized for not handling the news well," Ben said, looking tired.

Beca smiled, recalling her thoughts that day. "I took the red-eye to Nashville the day I found out."

Ben's eyes widened in surprise, letting her know Sheila hadn't told him. "What?"

"Yeah," she admitted with a shake of her head. "I totally freaked, but Isaac sold me out and told Chloe and she came and brought me home. So I get it, okay?"

Ben couldn't help but chuckle at her story. "That sounds like you."

"Wonder where I got it from," Beca retorted, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Hey, I only needed a minute," Ben shot back defensively, though there was no real heat behind the words. "I know I'm not handling this very well, either. It's just... this isn't supposed to happen to you, Bec. You're so young and this is supposed to be the best time of your life. I love you so much and it's killing me that you're going through this."

Beca raised an eyebrow, quipping, "That's funny, because this chemo is literally killing me. Guess we're both screwed."

"Not funny," Ben said, though Beca could tell he was desperately holding back a grin.

"Come on, dad, don't be so serious all the time," Beca cracked, willing him to break into a smile. "It's just cancer."

Ben rolled his eyes and broke into a smile. "You're unbelievable."

"I'm one of a kind."

"No argument there." Ben shifted in his chair. "You were a handful, for sure, but you definitely kept things interesting."

Beca nodded in agreement. "Well, someone had to. Otherwise, I would have died of boredom hearing about all your lectures and this cancer thing would have been completely irrelevant."

"I was hoping you'd learn to love literature the way I do."

"Never gonna happen," Beca said seriously.

Ben sat up a little straighter, saying, "No, this might be a good thing. Maybe we could read a book or something to pass the time. We've got a few hours to kill, right?"

"I will literally ban you from my room if you so much as think about pulling out a book," Beca threatened, just in time for Sheila to re-enter the room.

"Oh good, you're getting along," Sheila said sarcastically, shooting them both a look.

Beca grinned, pretending to swoon. "Oh, thank God! Stepmonster, I'd rather be stuck here with you than with Dr. Mitchell, who's decided now is the time to begin my comparative literature education. Please save me."

Sheila laughed at the pair of them, looking between Beca's hopeful face and Ben's wounded one. "Honey, we talked about this. No forcing Beca to read old, boring books. We want her to get better, not worse from depression and boredom."

Ben grumbled back, "It wouldn't kill her to read a book every once in a while, that's all I'm saying,"

"Hey! I read," Beca argued, before a guilty look crossed her face. She definitely hadn't thought that one through before speaking.

"Oh yeah? What was the last book you read?" Ben asked, actually looking curious.

"Not important! Just know I read... stuff," Beca answered vaguely, feeling the blush rising up her cheeks.

Her avoidance didn't help, as now both of her parents were regarding her curiously.

"Okay, fine," Beca sighed, knowing she was going to regret this. "The last book I read was..."

* * *

"Fifty Shades of Grey?! You dirty bird!"

Beca groaned, covering her face with her hands and temporarily blocking out her view of Chloe on the Skype chat on her laptop. "I know! I tried to lie, but I literally could not think of another book and my face was turning red and I just said it," Beca sighed, peeking between her fingers to see her girlfriend laughing at her confession.

"How did I not know you were reading that?" Chloe asked curiously, when she finally composed herself.

Beca blushed again, saying, "I didn't tell you. I read them when I was in LA working."

"Oh, so now it's them?" Chloe teased, not letting this go at all. "You read all three?!"

Beca wondered how much farther she could fit her foot into her mouth in this one conversation. "Okay, so I may have read all of them, but it was for a good reason!"

Chloe smirked, replying, "Something you want to tell me, baby?"

Beca was desperate to regain some type of control over her blushing face, answering forcefully, "No! I mean, yes, but not that!"

"I'm waiting," Chloe said, shooting her a wink.

Beca shook her head, saying, "I read them because I may have found out they want me to write and produce a song for the third movie... or whatever. But I haven't decided if I'm gonna do it."

Chloe's jaw dropped as she processed that news. "That's amazing, Becs! But don't they know you're not accepting work right now? How are you going to do that?"

"Well, it was before I got diagnosed and I've put them off since then. That's why I haven't made a decision yet," Beca replied, sinking back into her pillow and reaching over to pet Zeus, who was stretched out beside her on the bed. "I mean, it's a huge deal, right? And I've got a little time since the movie isn't due to come out until late next year."

"Uh, yeah, it's a huge deal," Chloe said, her face breaking into Beca's favorite smile. "I'm so proud of you. You made it, baby. You beat all the odds and are gonna kick cancer's ass and come out on top. I know it."

Beca's heart swelled at her words, murmuring, "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Chloe said immediately, her expression turning slightly sad. "I wish I was there with you right now. I miss you like crazy."

"I miss you too, babe. But dad and Sheila are doing a pretty good job. Not as good as you, though."

Chloe's smirk was back, familiar enough that Beca wondered if the redhead had picked it up from her. "Well, I'd hope not. I pride myself on the personal touches," Chloe teased, the innuendo clear from her tone and expression.

Beca grinned as she answered, "Just make sure no one else is getting any of those personal touches."

"Only you, baby," Chloe's eyes were bright even through the laptop screen.

Beca changed the subject, asking curiously, "Are you ready for graduation? It's only a few days away now. Can I hear your speech?"

Chloe frowned and ran a hand through her hair. "It's not quite finished yet. Bree is helping me, thank God. I promise you can hear it as soon as it's done. Can I practice on you?"

"Of course," Beca replied, willing to do anything to help Chloe. She knew the redhead was a little nervous about speaking in front of a crowd, and wished she could be there to help calm her down. "Shame I'm not there with you to give you a little hands on stress relief," she added with a wink of her own.

Chloe groaned, leaning back in their bed. "Don't do that. I'm already on the edge with you being gone for so long. It's not the same without you here."

Beca sighed, feeling her frustration through the screen. "I know, but I'll be home next week."

"How're you feeling baby?" Chloe asked, purposely changing the subject.

"I'm okay, mostly just the usual puking and feeling weak and hurting. There's this new thing happening where my hands feel like they're on fucking fire or sometimes go numb, both of which kinda suck and make it hard to work," Beca admitted. She didn't like to talk about the side effects of her treatment with Chloe because it inevitably led to the expression she was now currently wearing, part pity, sadness, and a touch horrified.

"It's okay, Chlo," Beca said, trying to sound positive. "The worst part is definitely my..." Her voice broke off, finding it impossible to say the words out loud. What had started in the dressing room before her appearance on Ellen was definitely in full swing, and Beca knew it was only a matter of time before she had to do something about her hair. It was devastating, one of those things she took for granted until suddenly larger and larger piles were appearing on the shower wall when she finished, or left on her pillow when she woke up in the morning.

"Bec?" Chloe looked at her nervously, seeing her obvious distress.

"My hair," Beca whispered, closing her eyes, knowing she couldn't take the resulting look on Chloe's face. "I'm losing my hair, Chlo."

There was no response, which made her feel a million times worse. Of course Chloe wouldn't know how to handle this, she didn't even know herself. Beca opened her eyes to see tears falling down Chloe's face, causing the dam on her own to overflow.

"It's okay, Bec," Chloe managed, her fingertips wiping at her cheeks. "It's only hair, baby. You look super sexy in hats, anyways. It's really a win."

Beca choked out a laugh, feeling anything but cheerful despite her girlfriend's comments. "Yeah, you always tell me that." After a moment, she made a decision.

"We'll do whatever you want, Becs. I'll be with you every step of the way, if you want to cut it short or... whatever you want to do, I'll be there," Chloe said, nodding for emphasis.

Beca took a deep breath, saying, "No. No, I... I don't want you to go with me for that." At Chloe's hurt expression, she quickly said, "I love you so much, but I just... I don't think I can handle it if you're there for that. Please, babe, for me? Stacie promised to go with me when she finishes her exams, so I won't be alone."

Chloe still looked a little hurt, though less so when Beca mentioned her best friend. "Okay, if that's what you want," she said, clearly trying to be supportive.

"Don't worry, I'll have to come home eventually," Beca joked, desperately needing to lighten the mood again. She missed their fun and witty banter that had all but disappeared since her diagnosis.

"You better," Chloe said, smiling despite her eyes still showing evidence of her tears. "God, I miss you. I'm so sorry I'm not there."

Beca shook her head. "Don't apologize. I'm so happy and proud of you, and I'm the one who's sorry I won't be there this weekend to hear you speak. I know you're gonna be great..." She trailed off with a yawn.

Chloe glanced away before exclaiming, "God, Beca it's late and you have chemo tomorrow! Go to sleep, baby. I love you and I'll see you soon. I'm having dinner with some people from work tomorrow, but I'll Skype you Friday, so you can hear my speech, okay?"

Beca nodded, answering, "Sounds good. Have fun, Chlo. I love you."

"I love you too Bec. So much."

Beca hung up the call, feeling weak and tired. She shifted her laptop to the floor beside the bed, and was just starting to get comfortable when she felt the prickling starting in her hands and feet. She turned over and wrapped her arms around Zeus, closing her eyes and trying to block it out enough to get some sleep.

* * *

Beca looked nervously out the window at the shop, pulling the hood of her jacket a little farther over her head. They'd been parked outside for ten minutes, but she found it more difficult than she'd thought to get out of the car. She glanced out the passenger window for a long moment, before turning to the side to look at her best friend.

"Okay, let's go before I change my mind," Beca said, quickly opening the car door and stepping out into the sunlight.

Stacie let out an excited whoop and hopped out of her side, circling the car and wrapping an arm around Beca's shoulders.

"I don't even know what you're so worried about, Becs," Stacie said confidently. "I'm gonna buzz my head too, and we're gonna rock it like the badasses we are. Have you seen you in a hat?"

Beca rolled her eyes, though she was thankful for Stacie's positive attitude. "That's what Chloe said."

Stacie nodded in approval, replying, "And she's fucking right! Besides, think about how much easier it'll be to have short hair."

"Yeah with just the minor side effect of looking like a teenage boy," Beca argued, shoving her hands into her pockets.

Stacie huffed, "Whatever, that's not true at all. I've already told Nick that I'll rock that military look better than him, and so will you."

"Stace, you know I'm not gonna let you shave your head just for me, right?" Beca said incredulously. "That's just stupid."

"I can do whatever I want, Mitchell. I'd like to see you stop me," Stacie answered as they reached the door to the shop, pulling it open and giving her a shove inside. "I meant what I said on the phone. You're my best friend and I got your back."

* * *

_(flashback)_

_Beca sat nervously at the bar, listening to the phone ringing. She'd just gotten through speaking with_ _Alecia_ _and knew there was one more call she needed to make before Kommissar could go public with her official statement._

_"Becs! Have you done it! Are you engaged?"_

_"Fuck, Stace! No," Beca said, panicking as she glanced at Chloe merely feet away. The redhead was cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast, and thankfully the running water in the sink prevented any possibility of her hearings Stacie's words. "Chloe and I just finished breakfast."_

_"Shit. Did she hear me? I'm so sorry," Stacie immediately apologized, lowering her voice to barely above a whisper._

_Beca rolled her eyes, saying, "No, it's fine." She thought of the small box buried in the back corner of her top drawer under her warmest pair of fuzzy socks, knowing there was no way in hell she was proposing anytime soon. Pushing those thoughts away, she continued, "I need to tell you something, though."_

_"Oh, okay. Sorry about that," Stacie said at a normal volume, her relief evident. "What's up?"_

_Beca hesitated, and Chloe looked over at her as she set the last dish in the drying rack. "Uh, Stace... I... I have cancer."_

_Stacie huffed on the other end of the line, "Shut up. That's not funny you asshole. What's really going on?"_

_Beca felt the tear slide down her cheek and she bit down hard on her bottom lip, but it wasn't enough to hold back the sniffle and half sob. She could picture her best friend's face in the dead silence between them, knowing that Stacie was processing the realization that she had told the truth._

_"You're not kidding are you?" Stacie's voice was hopeful, and Beca knew she was praying it was a joke._

_Beca sniffled again, answering, "No... I'm not. I found out a few weeks ago... maybe a month. I just had my first round of treatment this past week and it fucking sucks."_

_"Bec! Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have flown down there. I can't believe..." Stacie's voice broke, and Beca knew she was crying. "Thank you for not FaceTiming me for this one," Stacie added, her voice now thick._

_Beca gave a short laugh, saying, "Yeah, well, I'm not doing much better on my end."_

_They stayed silent for a minute or two, and Beca was thankful that Chloe came around to sit beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders._

_"How're you feeling? What did your doctor say? Sorry, I don't even know what to say right now," Stacie rambled._

_Beca took a deep breath, answering, "I'm not feeling so hot right now, but it should get a little better over the next couple of weeks before my next treatment cycle. I've got a pretty good chance, but it's gonna be a fight. The doc said I'll start to really experience the side effects from the chemo in another couple of weeks."_

_Stacie was quiet for another minute, before saying, "Exams are in a month or so, and then I'll be back in San Diego for the summer. We can hang out and I'll distract you and keep you company. I'll be there whenever you need me, Becs."_

_"Thanks, Stace," Beca said, regaining her composure. She smiled and nodded at Chloe that she was okay when her girlfriend got up and made her way into the bedroom. "I wanted to tell you because Kommissar is putting out a public statement later today. I didn't want you to find out that way."_

_"I would have killed you," Stacie replied, no hint of hesitation. "Is Chloe still there?"_

_"No, I think she went to take a shower," Beca answered, leaning back a bit in her chair. "She's been awesome, but it's not that bad yet. I'm worried what'll happen in a month or two when the side effects of the chemo really start to get to me."_

_Stacie sighed, "She loves you, Bec. She'll be there for you. And if she's not, your dad and Sheila and I will be."_

_Beca scoffed, "It's not like I can blame her. What happens when I go bald and don't even look like myself anymore. She won't want me anymore, and I wouldn't blame her."_

_"Oh, fuck that," Stacie retorted. "You're gonna look like a total badass and it'll be sexy as hell. I'll even buzz mine so we can match."_

_"Come on, Stace, you don't have to do that," Beca protested. "Why should we both be hideous?"_

_Stacie shot back, "You're crazy. We're gonna look hot. Besides, I'll go with you and we'll get a super sexy wig and no one will know."_

_Beca shook her head, caving a bit as she asked, "Promise you'll go with me? I don't want Chloe to go and I'm not sure I can do it alone."_

_"Fuck yeah! I'll come pick you up after I get home next month and we'll go together. You just gotta trust me, Mitchell. It's gonna be fine."_

* * *

Beca shuffled inside, looking around the empty room for the owner.

"How is Nick, anyways?" Beca asked, moving a little farther into the room while looking at the different wigs on display.

Stacie shrugged, coming to stand beside her. "Fine, I guess. I told you we broke things off at the end of the summer."

"Yeah, and then you also told me you hooked up all of winter break," Beca countered with a smirk. "Spill, Conrad."

"We are focusing on you today," Stacie fought back, though her smile gave her away. "You're impossible. I've already told you, I like him, but it's not gonna happen. At least for now. Maybe after school when we're not thousands of miles apart. You can only distract for so long."

Beca sighed," I know, I just... it's my hair, Stace. I don't know how to handle this."

"You own this moment and take action in a positive, decisive manner," a voice said from behind them.

Beca spun toward the back of the shop to see a middle-aged woman walking towards them with a smile.

"Ms. Mitchell, it's a pleasure to meet you. Katherine Pollock, but please call me Kat."

"Uh, nice to meet you. And Beca, is fine," she answered, before introducing Stacie.

Kat gave her a warm smile, saying, "It's wonderful to meet you, even under these circumstances. Did you have something in mind?" She asked, turning back to Beca.

Beca nodded, answering, "Um, something pretty close to my hair before. I was pretty attached to it."

Stacie butted in, saying, "I'll need one as well. We're in this together, shaved heads and all."

"Ignore her, she has mental problems," Beca retorted, giving her friend a shove. "Just one bald head will be leaving here today."

Kat eyed their exchange with a knowing smile, before saying, "I think I have a few options for you to look at. Come this way."

Beca gave Stacie a glare before following her to a small room at the back of the shop that had a barber's chair stationed in front of a mirror, but was missing all the usual tools a hairdresser would own save for one. Her eyes zoned in on the small electric razor before a tap on her shoulder had her looking away.

"It's gonna be fine, Becs," Stacie whispered in her ear as Kat went to grab a few options. "You're gonna look hot and it'll be much more comfortable than this whole mess," she added, flipping Beca's hood back as she pulled away.

Beca instinctively reached to pull it back up, but froze when she met Stacie's eyes, sighing and turning to look in the mirror. She looked slightly insane, and probably would have laughed if it wasn't so depressing. Larger patches of hair were missing now, despite still retaining most of it, though she knew that wouldn't last much longer. It was so difficult to be face to face with visual evidence of the cancer that she couldn't take it, looking down at her lap instead and locking her fingers together.

"Better to take control and shave it yourself than have it all fall off day by day," Stacie said, hugging her from behind. "I love you either way, and so does Chloe, and your parents, and I seriously think you're underestimating how good wigs are these days."

Beca muttered, "It's still a wig and I'll still be bald. And how would you know anyway?"

Stacie smirked confidently, answering, "Because I'm wearing one right now."

Beca's eyes widened as she spun around to stare at her best friend. "What?!"

Stacie shrugged, stepping back and tugging at her hair for a moment before it slid off completely, leaving her with a short buzz cut. "I had a feeling you'd be all noble and bitchy and try to stop me, so I did it before you. It's actually kind of awesome."

Beca's jaw dropped as she stared at her best friend, holding the wig and looking confidently in the mirror at her reflection.

"I think I look fucking hot," Stacie said, winking at herself before looking back at Beca.

And of course Beca couldn't argue with that because she did. Only Stacie could literally shave her head and not lose one ounce of sex appeal.

"You're insane," Beca muttered, crossing her arms and turning away from the leggy brunette.

Stacie nodded, "Yeah, maybe. But I'm not the one who looks like I've been tearing my own hair out by the roots."

Kat returned at that moment, and to her credit only hesitated a second before saying, "So, one down one to go, then? Dear, you look wonderful, and that wig is a work of art. I couldn't tell in the slightest."

"Don't encourage her," Beca groaned, covering her face with her hands.

"Ah yes, well, Beca, you might want to consider following in her footsteps," Kat said, gently playing with Beca's thinning hair.

Beca looked up at her in the mirror, answering, "Yeah, I know. Just shave it all off before I change my mind."

Stacie nodded encouragingly. "You heard her! Quick, she's likely to change it any second."

Beca glared at her before breaking into a smile, only taking a few more seconds before starting to laugh. "God, why am I friends with you?" She asked, as Stacie started laughing with her.

"Because I'm the smartest, sexiest, bestest friend you'll ever have in your fucking life," Stacie said, hugging her again.

Beca hugged her back, before sitting up a little straighter in the chair and looking seriously into the mirror. "Okay, I'm ready."

It only took about ten minutes before Beca found herself staring at her new reflection, tentatively raising a hand to feel the top of her head. Kat and Stacie remained silent as she processed her new look, trailing her fingertips down to the back of her neck. It was tough, but surprisingly not as tough as looking at herself before the haircut. Now a smooth buzz cut had replaced the random patchy thinning hair, giving her a harsher yet somehow cleaner look. Her chest felt heavy though, wondering for a moment what Chloe would think... if she would still find her attractive. Trying to push down the doubts was overwhelming for her in the moment, and she desperately searched for a way out.

"I look like that crazy chick from the Hunger Games movies... the ax swinging one," she finally spoke up, with a slow shake of her head.

Stacie studied her for a few long seconds before saying, "I agree. And not only was she hot, she was a total badass. Just like you."

Beca stared at herself a little longer in the mirror, narrowing her eyes and saying, "Yeah, I look fucking terrifying right now." She laughed and shifted her eyes up to Stacie's in the mirror. "I'd for sure scare some kids."

Stacie laughed with her and stepped closer. "Yeah, but check this out," she said, running her nails gently over Beca's head.

"Whoa," Beca murmured, closing her eyes and sighing happily. "That feels really good."

"I know, right?!" Stacie said excitedly, stopping and bringing the hand close to her face to study one of her nails. "Seriously, I just had these done."

"Hey, why'd you stop?" Beca complained, opening her eyes to frown at the taller brunette.

Kat stepped forward, saying, "Would you like to try on a few different wigs now?"

Beca came back to the moment, temporarily having forgotten that part of the trip. "Oh, yeah... right. Yeah, let's do it," she said, nodding with a little more certainty while Stacie dug around in her purse for something, having tossed her own wig onto the small counter in front of Beca beside the now silent electric clippers.

"Okay, this one is a lighter than your original color, but it's got the right wavy style that suits you," Kat said, placing the wig on her head and adjusting it slightly. "We'll have to size whichever one you choose, but you'll at least get an idea of what it'll look like.

It was like magic. Just like that, Beca had hair again. It was a little strange, going from one extreme to the other, and she took her time looking at her new reflection in the mirror before ultimately deciding the color was a little too light for her. The next wig she tried on was better color-wise, but much shorter, and it too ended up in the no pile, Stacie helping her make that decision more efficiently.

"No way. That one's out."

Beca grinned at her friend, teasing, "I think you'd just rather I stay bald."

"Duh, you look super hot. I'm not lying about that," Stacie said, still distracted with her fingernail. "You can get more than one, you know. In case you want to switch your look up. I meant it when I said I'm going to get another. I think I want to go super dark sometimes... maybe even black."

Kat interrupted with her opinion, saying, "I don't think so, dear. Not unless you hit the beach and tan a little. It'll wash you out."

Stacie shrugged, accepting the woman's advice. "I wouldn't mind hitting the beach a little. Okay, dark brown it is."

Beca rolled her eyes and looked in the mirror at the next wig Kat had dug up for her to try on. She really did appreciate Stacie's positivity, knowing that her best friends confident surety was the main reason she wasn't bawling her eyes out right now. Beca sucked a breath in at her reflection, immediately feeling like herself again. It was also a little darker than her original color, but had soft waves down to the middle of her back.

"I think that's the one," Kat said after studying her for a moment, giving her a wink in the mirror when their eyes met.

Stacie agreed, "Definitely. I love it. Do you, Becs?"

Beca nodded, reaching up to gently touch the strands. "Yeah... I do."

Kat carefully removed it for a second, slightly adjusting the size on the inside of the cap. "It's actually a pretty good fit already. Try it now," she said, handing it back.

It was a little tougher to pull the cap on over her head, fitting snugly after the minor adjustment. "It feels good."

Kat gave a few gentle tugs on it, before standing back with her hands on her hips. "I'd say that's a match."

Beca spun around to look hesitantly up at Stacie. "Stace?"

Stacie winked at her, answering, "I wouldn't kick you out of bed."

"Good to know," Beca huffed, though she had a smile on her face as she spun back around to look in the mirror. It made her feel a little more human again, to see a more normal reflection looking back at her. "I'll take it."

"Awesome," Stacie said, pulling her out of the chair and hugging her tightly. "Now, my turn. Help me pick out something that says, 'Yes, I'm hot. Leave me the fuck alone.'"

* * *

"You owe me a trip to In-N-Out," Beca said smugly, looking away from Chloe leaning against one of the pillars on the porch and over at her best friend as she put the car in park.

Stacie shook her head in defeat, answering, "I should have texted her to keep her ass inside the house."

Beca chuckled, replying, "But that would have been cheating. I can't believe you thought you could beat me in a bet when it comes to Chloe."

"It was an error in judgment," Stacie conceded, smiling and giving Chloe a wave through the windshield. "You better go before she thinks something's wrong."

"Alright, alright," Beca said, opening the door. "Burgers and shakes next week?"

Stacie nodded. "On me. I'll call you."

Beca leaned over and gave her a quick hug, mumbling, "Thanks for doing this with me. I... it means a lot."

"Whatever you need, Becs" Stacie whispered back, before giving her a genuine smile. "Seriously, call me anytime you need to talk or escape or whatever. No judgment."

"Thanks," Beca nodded as she got out of the car. "See you next week," she said as she shut the door, stepping back and waving as Stacie backed out of the driveway.

Taking a deep breath, Beca turned toward the house and shuffled slowly over to her girlfriend. Her hood was back up, but she knew the wig was still visible underneath it, and was thankful when Chloe opened her arms without saying anything to hug her tightly.

"I'm okay," she mumbled into Chloe's neck, holding on for an extra second or two. "Let's go inside."

Chloe leaned back, smiling at her. "Zeus will be happy to see you. He doesn't like it when you disappear like that, and looks at me like it's all my fault."

Beca grinned, replying, "Well, as awesome as you are, you're not me."

"Believe me, he never lets me forget it," Chloe joked, pushing the door open and catching the dog before he could jump on Beca.

Beca quickly gave him a hug, thankful for Chloe catching him. One of the most frustrating things so far was how tired she got without doing much, along with the aching pain from the chemo and overall weakness. The day's adventure had left her exhausted, and although she hated to admit it, Zeus probably would have knocked her to the ground in his excitement.

Chloe tugged at his collar until Beca got settled on the couch with a relieved sigh before letting him go. Beca reached out and rubbed his ears as he stood in front of her patiently, before deciding that was enough greeting and walked away to his doggy bed in the corner.

Chloe sat on the couch beside her, asking, "How was it?"

"Interesting," Beca said honestly, not sure how to describe the experience. "Surreal, I guess. But also, you know, just one more thing shoved in my face letting me know I'm not normal anymore."

Chloe shifted closer, looking at her before asking, "Can I?"

Beca knew what she wanted, feeling a little nervous, but nodded yes.

Chloe's hands gently pushed her hood back from her face, revealing the new wig. Beca looked hesitantly at her, her confidence growing with Chloe's smile.

"I like it," Chloe said, gently pushing a few strands behind her ear. "It's darker than I'm used to, but like, not in a bad way. And it's very you."

Beca nodded, knowing what she meant. "Yeah, I like it too. It made the whole day better, finding something that made me feel normal... especially after..." She trailed off, before steeling herself. It was ridiculous really, she needed to just sack up and own her new looks... both of them. "After I shaved all my hair off. It was super weird at first, but then... I don't know, it wasn't that bad. It helped that Stacie had already buzzed hers off."

"What?" Chloe asked, the last statement catching her off guard.

"Oh yeah," Beca laughed, leaning back against the couch. "Stacie knew I'd try to stop her from doing it, even though she'd said she was gonna buzz her head with me, so she did it like a week ago. That bitch."

Chloe smiled at her, saying, "She's a good friend. Bec, you know I..."

Beca cut her off before she could finish the thought, "No way, Chlo. Absolutely not. I love your hair so much. I'd never want you to do that just for me. Promise me you'll keep it?"

Chloe nodded, reaching over to take Beca's hand. Her next question surprised Beca, her girlfriend asking, "Can I see it?"

Beca's mouth formed a hard line, the fears and doubts returning instantly. She thought about what Stacie said, and focused on that instead of the negative feelings. "Yeah... Yeah, okay," she agreed, sitting forward a bit.

Chloe shifted as well, letting go of her hand as she pushed her hood farther back out of the way and gently grabbed her hair. Beca tugged at the cap and eased it off, her heart hammering in her chest as she placed the wig slowly on the coffee table and kept her eyes down, terrified to see Chloe's expression. Finally, unable to delay it any longer, she met Chloe's eyes and locked her fingers together in her lap.

They both sat perfectly still for about thirty seconds until Chloe let out a soft, "Wow."

Beca felt her stomach drop. She knew it, Chloe hated it... thought she was ugly and unattractive. This was a huge mistake. She never should have taken the wig off in front of Chloe. It was too much, too different, too obvious a reminder that everything had changed between them and there was nothing either of them could do to fix it.

Beca couldn't stay in the moment any longer. Every second was an eternity and she felt an overwhelming need to be anywhere but on this couch with her girlfriend right now.

"Yeah, I know it's horrible... I need to..." Beca said weakly, fighting back tears as she made to get up off the couch. Chloe's hand quickly grabbed her wrist, halting her escape. "Chlo, please let me go."

"No," Chloe said softly, tugging her back down onto the couch and waiting until Beca met her eyes. "Look at me, Bec," she said, when Beca took too long.

Beca shook her head, keeping her eyes closed rather than see the disgust or pity in the redhead's gaze.

"Beca, you're so beautiful."

That had her opening her eyes, looking hopefully up at Chloe. She was surprised what she found, sitting up a little more as her girlfriend's grip tightened on her wrist.

"No, I'm not," she whispered back.

Chloe leaned in a kissed her cheek, her hand slowly creeping up Beca's neck to cradle her jaw. "Bec," she murmured, kissing her again a little closer to her mouth again and again until their lips met.

When she finally pulled back, Beca hummed softly, opening her eyes to look into Chloe's clear blue ones.

"Bec, it took me a second because..." Chloe paused, biting her lower lip. "Because it's kinda sexy, baby."

Beca's eyes widened in recognition as Chloe leaned in again, connecting their lips firmly. She could barely handle the stimulation as Chloe's free hand ran over her buzzed head setting the nerve endings on fire before gripping the base of her neck.

Beca was out of breath almost instantly, pulling back a fraction to breath. "Yeah?"

Chloe nodded. "Yes," she said without hesitation, her voice sure as she kissed Beca again.

It felt like an eternity since they'd really kissed, beyond more than a simple peck hello or goodbye, or since Beca had the desire or energy to do more than that. When Chloe pressed forward and slid into her lap, pushing her against the back of the couch, she was unprepared for the flash of pain that radiated through her causing her to jerk away and wince.

Chloe pulled away instantly, her hands coming up to cover her mouth in horror. "Oh my God, Bec I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Beca winced again, not used to the flashes of pain that came with Chloe's weight on top of her. "Yeah, could you just..." She motioned for Chloe to get off her, letting out a deep breath when she reacted like she'd been struck by lightning.

"Beca, I'm so sorry, I didn't think," Chloe apologized, looking distraught.

Beca shook her head, already angry at the newest reminder that cancer was literally ruining her life. "No, don't apologize, it's my fault. I wasn't expecting that... but it was nice, you know... for a second there."

Chloe gave her a weak smile, sitting gently beside her. "Yeah, it was," she said softly. "I miss that."

Beca leaned against her, feeling better immediately when Chloe's arm wrapped comfortably around her. "Me too, Chlo."

They were quiet for a moment, and Beca shifted a little to comfortably tangle her legs with Chloe's, relishing the close contact with her girlfriend as the exhaustion caught up with her.

"Cancer sucks," she murmured, feeling Chloe sigh and nod in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I can never thank my beta Arsto enough for all of her help! You're the best!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to bookmark and leave comments!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday!
> 
> This chapter turned out a bit disjointed, and kinda stayed that way no matter how much I rearranged it. It starts off from Chloe's POV recapping the past few chapters, then switches to Beca's POV for her 3rd chemo cycle, and finishes back with Chloe. I don't like it either, but this is the price for getting the chapter on time since I finished it yesterday. Oh well :-).

* * *

_(Chloe's POV, starting after Beca's first chemo cycle)_

Chloe looked up at the sound of knocking, setting her coffee cup down and walking through the main room to open the door. She smiled at the sight of Sheila and Zeus, leaning down to pet him before stepping aside so they could enter.

"Hi Chloe," Sheila greeted, unclipping Zeus' leash when they were inside and gave her a quick hug.

"Hey Sheila. Thanks again for watching him," Chloe replied, returning the woman's hug. "Want a cup of coffee?"

Sheila nodded, hanging the leash on the hook by the door. "Love one. Is she awake?"

"No, still sleeping. The chemo zapped a lot of her energy by the last day or two, not to mention spilling the news to Scotty and Berit last night," Chloe answered, leading her into the kitchen.

A soft bumping sound caught her attention, turning to look down the hallway toward their bedroom to find Zeus nosing gently at the closed door. Chloe smiled, somehow not surprised at all that the dog had figured out where Beca was immediately. She knew dogs could develop strong bonds with their owners, but had never seen it up close and personal until experiencing Beca and Zeus interact. Excusing herself for a moment, she padded down the hallway and opened the door to let Zeus inside and watched with a smile as he immediately jumped on the bed and laid down with his head protectively on Beca's stomach.

Chloe quietly shut the door and returned to the kitchen, pouring Sheila a cup of coffee and sticking her own in the microwave for a minute to heat it back up.

Sheila gave her a grateful smile, adding a bit of cream and sugar. "How did it go this week?"

Chloe shrugged, retrieving her mug from the microwave before answering, "Okay, I guess. I didn't really know what to expect, but Beca seemed to handle the chemo alright. She threw up after each treatment, and I don't think she slept very well, but at least she got a little rest every night."

"That's good, I guess. I tried to get Ben to talk about it so I'd have some idea of what she's going through, but he wouldn't say much. He's told me about Nora, Beca's mom, before, but we never got into the details of her cancer. No reason to, obviously... well, until now," Sheila mused, her expression concerned. "I'm worried about both of them."

"I guess it's hard to blame him for not wanting to talk about it," Chloe commented, looking down at the countertop. "Beca told me about her mom pretty early on, but just that she passed away. It took a long time to get any other details out of her, even positive ones. From what I can tell, it was an impossibly difficult time for both of them and they've kinda blocked it out."

Sheila nodded, agreeing with her. "I think you're right, especially for Beca. Ben was very open with me from the beginning... I'm not sure he was really ready to date when we met. I'm glad he either changed his mind or made the effort."

Chloe looked up, the comment sparking her interest. "How did you two meet?"

"It was pure luck," Sheila said with a laugh, a fondness in her tone that Chloe usually heard when the woman spoke of Beca. "We were both in New York on business, and happened to be staying at the same hotel. I'd had a long shoot that day and after dinner decided to grab a drink. He was the only one sitting at the bar, so I joined him and we started talking and the rest is history."

Chloe smiled at the story, saying, "Were you living in California at the time?"

"Yeah, funny how we had to travel three thousand miles to New York to meet when we lived within a half hour of each other," Sheila replied, taking a sip of coffee. "He told me he had a daughter... which was terrifying. I never wanted kids, so that was almost a deal breaker for me. But he was kind and sweet and a total gentleman, and we were taking things pretty slow, and I decided to cross that bridge when we came to it."

Chloe asked, "What happened when you finally met Beca?"

Sheila smiled again, answering, "When Ben told me he wanted me to meet Beca, I offered to cook dinner. I loved him at that point, and really wanted to make an effort... you know, show him I was serious about him and that I knew that included his daughter too. It hadn't come up that I couldn't cook, and I figured it was basically just following directions. I tried to make this chicken casserole and I'm sure you can guess how awful it was. They were both total sweethearts about it, telling me it wasn't that bad, but it was horrible. I said, 'I guess now's a bad time to admit I can't really cook,' and suggested ordering a couple of pizzas. We ended up on the living room floor eating pizza and watching the latest episode of The Bachelor."

Sheila paused for a moment, before continuing, "Beca was quiet that night, at first. By the end we were all joking and laughing at the crazy people on the show, and it actually turned into a really good night. I thought she was a little withdrawn then, but the more I got to know her the more we bonded. She knew Ben loved her, but felt like he didn't make enough of an effort to understand her interests... especially music. We connected on art, music and photography, but I think the key was that I never tried to be her mother, which was easy because I didn't want to be a mother," Sheila admitted. "I left most of the parenting to Ben, but I can't deny that our relationship has evolved over time, and I think of her as the daughter I never wanted but can't imagine living without. This whole cancer mess scares the shit out of me."

Chloe nodded, listening intently as Sheila spoke freely about Beca. "I'm terrified too," Chloe confessed. "I also know that Beca loves you... a lot. It's easy to see the bond you two share, and it's just as important to her as the one with her dad. She's lucky to have you."

"Thank you," Sheila said softly, shooting her a smile before glancing at the clock on the stove. "Well, I should get going. I don't want to wake her up... she probably needs the rest."

"Actually, she should get up and eat something," Chloe countered, standing up straighter. "Let me go get her so she can see you before you leave."

* * *

Chloe took a deep breath, leaning back away from her laptop stretching her arms over her head. She'd been re-reading and editing her speech for graduation tomorrow for the better part of the evening, waiting on an update from Beca. The brunette was supposed to FaceTime her after chemo today to hear the final version, but Chloe was beginning to think that wasn't going to happen. It made her nervous, wondering if something went wrong with her infusion today.

As if reading her mind, her phone lit up with an incoming call. Chloe was slightly disappointed to see it was from Sheila, but quickly answered it, eager for any news.

"Hey Sheila," Chloe said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Is Beca okay?"

 _"Yeah, Chloe, she's fine,"_  Sheila answered, though her voice sounded tired.  _"She had a rough evening after treatment today, that's all."_

Chloe bit her lip, the news only amplifying her anxiety. "Why? What happened? Do I need to drive up there?"

 _"No, no, nothing like that,"_  Sheila said quickly, trying to reassure her.  _"She was just really tired and threw up more than usual. I don't think she's been getting a lot of rest. She's asleep now... Zeus is in there with her."_

"That's good," Chloe finally answered, smiling at the mention of the dog. It had admittedly been a little lonely in the house without them, and she was looking forward to Sunday evening when they returned home.

_"She said to tell you she misses you, and that she can't wait to come home."_

Chloe felt the tears pool in her eyes, wishing she could be there with her. "Sheila... how is she? Really?"

Sheila sighed, taking her time before answering.  _"She's struggling this time around, I think. She misses you, and things are pretty tense with Ben. He doesn't know what to do, and she doesn't have the energy or patience to keep reassuring him all the time. I think the pain is getting worse, and she's barely eating. She says her mouth hurts... or maybe it's her gums or teeth? I'm not sure, but yeah, that's not helping much."_

Chloe brought her hand up to cover her mouth as tears slid down her cheeks. "God... I feel so helpless. I mean, we knew it would get worse, but I never expected... What can I do?"

_"Nothing, Chloe. We've got her and she'll be home in a couple of days. I'm sure she'll be happy to be home and in her own bed."_

Chloe shook her head, regaining some composure. "How are you doing? I know it's a lot to take in."

 _"It is... it's a lot,"_  Sheila admitted.  _"But caring for Beca isn't the hardest part. Ben is shutting down and I don't know what to do. He's here and supportive, but he can't stay in the room for too long and he hasn't been alone with Beca except for the one time a couple of days ago. I don't think he's handling it well."_

"Are any of us handling it well?" Chloe asked, trying and failing to lighten the conversation a bit. "Maybe Beca..."

_"You know, I think Beca might be doing better than anyone in that aspect."_

Chloe sighed, replying, "I'm not even surprised by that. But that also doesn't mean she's handling it well, just better than us."

_"True. I know you don't know Ben very well, but I'm open to any suggestions you might have on how to get him to talk about... well, anything. His feelings, the situation, I'm not picky at this point. He's shutting me out and that's driving me as crazy as coming to terms with Beca having cancer."_

"I'm sorry, Sheila, I don't have any clue off the top of my head. Beca just sort of eventually opened up to me on her own," Chloe answered, her tone defeated. "She said I was easy to talk to. She's opened up to me more than I thought she would about this process, which is good because I'd be driving myself crazy if I had to wonder."

_"Okay, I just figured I'd ask. Let me know if an idea comes to you."_

Chloe nodded, saying, "I will. Tell her I love her? And that I can't wait for her to be home."

_"I will, Chloe. I'll make sure she calls you tomorrow night to hear about graduation."_

"Thanks," Chloe replied gratefully. "I'll see you all soon."

_"Yeah, see you in a couple days. Goodnight!"_

"G'night." Chloe hung up the phone, setting it on the desk without another word.

Deciding the speech was as good as it would get, she clicked print, before flipping the light off and heading to bed.

* * *

Chloe peeked into their bedroom, finding Beca fast asleep with Zeus laying comfortably beside her, his large head resting across her legs. She wondered briefly if Zeus knew how sick Beca was, noticing how much calmer he'd been lately. Shaking her head, she quietly slipped inside and turned off the bedside lamp and pulled Beca's cancer blanket a little higher over her chest.

She could still make out Beca's face in the low light coming from the hallway, taking a moment to study the changes in her girlfriend. It was easy to admit that shaving her head was the right decision. Beca's hair had been thinning and falling out at an increasing rate, and it broke Chloe's heart each time to see the look on the brunette's face when it happened, or she caught a glimpse of her reflection.

The wig had surprised her, not expecting it to look so realistic and normal on Beca's head. Of course, she hadn't had any idea what to expect at all, especially after Beca refused to allow her to go. Chloe knew that Beca was self-conscious about her hair, she'd admitted that much already, but it hurt more than she thought when Beca told her she would rather do this part with Stacie. The one thing she'd asked was for Beca to not shut her out... to talk to her when things got hard. That being said, Chloe understood how difficult this whole journey was for Beca, and ultimately she wanted to do whatever was best for her girlfriend, whether she agreed with it or not.

So she'd waited at home and met Beca on the front porch and hugged her tightly, knowing how vulnerable she was feeling. After seeing the wig, Chloe realized it was no different than looking at Beca with hair. It was incredibly realistic, if not a little darker than her natural color, and she would never have known if, well, she hadn't known.

What she'd been truly unprepared for were the emotions that hit her when Beca removed it. It was shocking at first, if for no other reason than the stark difference from one look to the other, but what surprised her the most was how good Beca looked. She had tried to picture it throughout the day, but nothing prepared her for the wave of attraction that hit her when faced with the reality of Beca with her head buzzed. Chloe realized her silence had been misinterpreted when Beca tried to leave, and she made sure to let the brunette know exactly what her true feelings were... which sadly didn't play out the way it had in her mind.

Chloe gently shut the door, pulling her phone out of her pocket as she made her way into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. Swiping it open and unlocking it, she navigated to Jess' number and called her best friend, only having to wait a few seconds before she answered.

_"Chlo! How are you? How's Beca?"_

"Hey Jess," Chloe answered tiredly. "She's okay... she cut her hair today, well buzzed it off actually. She's sleeping now."

 _"Ooh, how'd that go? I can't even imagine..."_  Jess' voice trailed off, full of sympathy.

"Uh, well she went with Stacie, and I actually think it went about as well as it could have gone. She has a wig and it looks really good," Chloe described, leaning back into the couch. "It was weird to see her bald, but..."

 _"But..."_  Jess prompted curiously, pressing her to continue.

Chloe couldn't help but grin, saying, "It was really hot, Jess. Like, really hot. She looked good, kinda like the badass she claims to be? I don't know... it was just hot."

Jess laughed on the other end, asking,  _"So did you jump her bones? It's been a while, right?"_

Chloe sighed at that, silently agreeing with her. It had been a long time since they'd been intimate, and she missed it terribly. She knew that this would probably happen, between the cancer and treatment and side effects that it was extremely unlikely Beca would be up for sex, but the reality of it was harsh. Chloe was an affectionate person, and their relationship had always consisted of a teasing flirty type of banter that included plenty of physical touches. It was also when Beca was the most vulnerable with her, the most open and willing to let Chloe in behind the walls that stood so high. Ultimately, Chloe just missed intimacy with her girlfriend.

"Uh, sort of," Chloe answered, realizing she'd been silent for too long. "I kind of did, and before I knew it, I was in her lap and we were kissing... and then I was hurting her and she was pulling away in pain and that kinda killed the mood."

_"I'm sorry, Chlo. That sucks."_

Chloe sighed again, answering, "There's nothing good I can say about it. If I say it was frustrating then it makes me a jerk for being upset that my cancer riddled girlfriend won't sleep with me. If I say it's okay, it makes me a liar because it's not okay. I miss it... I miss it a lot."

 _"Well, duh, Chlo. I'm sure you guys were very... active,"_  Jess teased, and Chloe suddenly wished she was sitting on the couch across from her so she could see her smile.  _"It's totally normal to miss that intimacy and connection with your partner, and it certainly doesn't make you a monster. It's not like you're forcing her."_

"No! Of course not," Chloe exclaimed, twisting in the direction of their bedroom to make sure she hadn't woken Beca up. "This is so messed up, Jess. It's so hard. She's really starting to feel the effects of the treatment... she's losing weight and is tired a lot no matter how much she sleeps. She's not eating much... I'm starting to really worry."

 _"All you can do is be there for her,"_  Jess advised.  _"I cannot imagine Ashley going through something like this, and have no idea what I would do, but I know I'd be there. You're doing everything right just by being there, even if it doesn't feel like it."_

Chloe nodded, not knowing what to say back. She decided to change the subject, asking, "How are you and Ash? Tell me about the wedding plans!"

* * *

Chloe stood up, clutching her book tightly as she left the treatment room without another word. Her teeth were clenched tightly together to keep from becoming a crying, emotional mess at the way Beca had firmly asked her to leave. She needed to get it together, and fast. Beca needed her to be supportive and loving, not needy and clingy. She had enough to worry about without Chloe adding to it.

She walked slowly down the hallway, passing a girl who was also hooked up to a chemo bag, a black beanie covering her shaved head. Chloe gave her a small smile and nod, continuing on down the hallway until she was out of the building and in the bright sunshine. She walked over to a bench and sat down, the exhaustion hitting her all at once.

It had been a stressful couple of days since Stacie left to go back to San Diego for some family thing, possibly someone's birthday. Beca had been sullen and withdrawn ever since, though if Chloe really thought about it, she'd actually been that way since before the taller brunette had gone. That meant that while some of it could be Beca missing her best friend, Chloe knew there was something else at work.

She wondered what it could be, the possibilities swirling around in her head. Beca had stopped working after finishing P!nk's album, and Chloe had been secretly relieved because her girlfriend had been pushing herself hard to complete her work on the album. It had made her nervous that Beca was over-extending herself, although the smile on her face when she finished let Chloe know just how much it meant to her.

One of the hardest things for Chloe now was coming to terms with the fact there was no fighting or hiding how sick Beca was anymore. It seemed the brunette was thinner every day, despite her energy levels having varying highs and lows. Initially Beca had worn the wig whenever she wasn't sleeping, but now that frequency had dwindled to rarely, and only if she left the house. She'd acquired an assortment of beanies that covered her buzzed head and her ears, keeping her warm. Her clothes barely fit her, instead hanging loosely on her body and were usually covered underneath her cancer blanket draped over her shoulders or across her lap.

The cancer blanket. Chloe cursed the day Beca found it on the internet, despite how much happiness it seemed to bring her. Chloe hated it as much as Beca loved it, not needing any extra reminders of how sick her girlfriend was. Beca thought it was funny and that any humor out of this situation should be welcomed with open arms.

Chloe wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting outside on the bench, figuring it had been at least ten to fifteen minutes, and decided to see if Beca had cooled off at all. She felt in control of her emotions, and promised herself not to try and convince Beca to talk if she didn't want to. It once again reminded her that Beca was shutting her out, but Chloe pushed that thought aside, attributing it to the brunette's last day of treatment. Beca was probably just tired and ready to be back at home.

She thought she heard multiple voices as she approached Beca's room, reaching the doorway in time to hear a girl's voice say, "Anyways, quit avoiding the question, Mitchell! How much for the panties!"

* * *

_(Beca's POV, backing up just a little to her latest (3rd) chemo cycle)_

"Are you serious right now?" Beca asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

Stacie grinned, holding up her stolen phone and aiming the camera at her best friend. "Beca, you're supposed to be posting shit on your Twitter and Instagram so all your crazy fans know you're still alive. Now say something funny."

Beca stared at her and deadpanned, "Something funny."

Chloe snickered from her chair beside her cranky girlfriend, reaching over to take her hand.

"The sooner you say something real, the sooner I'll post it and stop badgering you," Stacie bargained.

Beca gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine, but only because I'd do anything for you to get that stupid camera out of my face."

"And because Kommissar has called you every day for the past two weeks and threatened to keep it up until you started posting more," Chloe added innocently.

Beca shoved her hand away with a glare. "She's fucking persistent, right?"

Stacie nodded. "Would hate to get on her bad side, which you're doing a really good job of right now, Bec. Just one video and she'll be happy and lay off, and so will I."

Beca tugged her beanie down over her ears, leaning back a little in her chair and adjusted the tube that ran from the chemo bag in her IV stand to her port. "I said fine. May I please have my blanket?" She asked, trying and failing to keep the smile off her face.

Beca and Stacie exchanged grins as Chloe pulled the blanket from the small duffle bag and reluctantly handed it over.

The blanket had been a point of contention ever since Beca discovered it online and Chloe had tried to keep her from ordering one. It was made of light gray velvety material on one side with small repeating vomit emojis stitched into the fabric, and white sherpa material on the other side. Beca dubbed it her cancer blanket, much to Chloe's chagrin, and was pleased to discover it was the warmest blanket she'd ever owned. Chloe had thrown her hands up in defeat when Beca had pulled a vomit emoji pillow out of the box to match. One picture and Instagram/Twitter post later of Beca giving a thumbs up with her cancer blanket and pillow, and she was trending worldwide.

"Aww, Becs, you look so cute. Try to remember this moment when you're puking your guts up later," Stacie teased, laughing as Chloe helped wrap it around her feet.

Beca narrowed her eyes at her best friend, retorting, "Fuck off, Conrad. I'm cooperating. And you're just jealous I didn't order you one of these awesome blankets."

"Oh yeah, you're the poster child for teamwork," Stacie shot back, getting the phone ready. "And maybe I'm a little bit jealous."

Beca shook her head, waiting for Stacie to signal her that the video was going. Forcing a smile, she said, "Hello. Welcome to the chemo room. Chloe and my best friend Stacie are here with me today, along with my trusty cancer blanket. Soon, I'll be throwing up just like each one of these little guys," she said with a wink as Stacie laughed and lowered the phone to let her know she stopped filming.

"Good?" Beca asked, pulling the blanket up a little higher under her chin.

Stacie nodded, playing the video over again for fun before posting it as a new Instagram story. "For now," she said with a wink of her own. "We'll do one after treatment, and another once we get back to the house with Zeus. Then you're good."

Beca's jaw dropped and she looked to Chloe for help. "That's not what we agreed on!"

Chloe rolled her eyes, narrowing them at the blanket before saying, "If you give me the blanket you won't have to do any more videos today."

"You'll never get my blanket," Beca said fervently, clutching the material tightly. "I'll do a million videos before I let you throw this piece of art away."

* * *

Beca batted her phone out of Stacie's hands, not caring one bit as it dropped to the floor in the backseat of the car. Chloe raised an eyebrow at her in the rearview mirror, but didn't comment as the taller brunette retrieved it.

"Come on, Bec," Stacie pleaded, opening up Instagram again. "It's only for like thirty seconds."

Beca shook her head no, turning and looking out the window.

Stacie wasn't giving up, keeping the phone trained on her best friend. "Tell them how sexy Chloe thinks you are now that your hair is gone. Give some poor girl out there the confidence to rock the buzzed look. I'll even make Chloe be in the video too," Stacie bribed, knowing Chloe would help her out.

"How do you know that?" Beca looked scandalized at the back of her girlfriend's head since Chloe refused to meet her eyes in the mirror. "Damnit Chlo, don't tell her shit like that."

Chloe shrugged. "Why not? It is sexy, baby," she replied, her voice dropping a bit and throwing a wink at her in the mirror.

Beca huffed, "Because then she uses it against me... like right now."

"I think it's a good thing, actually," Chloe reasoned. "I'd imagine losing your hair is one of the toughest battles. It kinda covers everything, you know? Physical, emotional, psychological... you don't really look like yourself anymore."

"Yeah, thanks for that reminder," Beca retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Stacie cut in, saying, "What she means is that you look like an even sexier version of your old self. Come on, Bec, please?"

Beca turned toward her best friend, throwing her hands up in the air not realizing she was filming. "What do you want from me, Stace? That it felt empowering to make the decision and shave my head on my own terms? Or that my girlfriend still wants to sleep with me even though I look like a ten year old boy?"

Stacie smirked and flipped the phone towards Chloe, asking, "Well, girlfriend in question? Do you still want to sleep with her?"

Chloe gave a soft chuckle, answering, "Absolutely. She's more beautiful today than ever before."

Stacie quickly turned back to Beca, who rolled her eyes at the cheesiness of it all. "There you have it. Case closed."

Beca shook her head as Stacie started messing with the video knowing she was going to add it to the Instagram story from earlier. "You're ridiculous, both of you."

"We just love you, Becs," Stacie said, locking the phone and moving to wrap her arms around Beca. "Feelin' pukey yet?"

"No, but when I am I'll make sure to puke all over you," Beca threatened, though without any real seriousness behind it.

Stacie laughed, but eventually said, "Do it, Mitchell. I dare you. You'll regret it for the rest of your incredibly long life."

* * *

Beca opened her eyes in the dark room, taking a moment to realize that the heavy weight on her stomach was Zeus' head. She slowly moved her hand to pet him, relaxing back against the pillow. Her whole body hurt, the pain always worse when she was undergoing treatment. Sucking in a breath, she paused for a moment and could make out Stacie or Chloe or both clamoring around in the kitchen. Clenching her teeth, she forced herself to move, shifting the pillows behind her to sit up a little and flip the lamp on, before grabbing her phone and punching in the code to unlock it.

She had an intimidating number of notifications from Twitter and Instagram, deciding to open her email instead of tackling that mountain. Beca shifted through some junk before opening one from Joey. She'd finished her work mixing P!nk's album and sent it off to him to master. Scanning his update she let out a relieved sigh that the project was right on schedule.

The chemo was really taking its toll on her body. It was unavoidable now, and Beca weakly looked over at Zeus, taking comfort in the adoring way his calm eyes watched her. She was thinner than she'd ever been in her life and was taking longer and more frequent naps, not having the energy to do much more. At the moment she felt too hot, pushing at the blankets that covered until they were bunched around her feet. Zeus shifted slightly next to her, resting his head back on her stomach after lifting it curiously to watch her efforts.

Beca smiled at him, wondering for the millionth time since she'd adopted him why anyone would have abandoned him on the side of the road. He was sweet and well trained, and seemed to sense every emotion in a room. Grabbing her phone, she opened Instagram and clicked over to the camera, aiming it at the dog's large head. Snapping the photo, she quickly flipped through the app and started typing in a caption.

 **djbecamitchell**   _Zeus cuddles always make me feel better_

She clicked to post to her Twitter as well, glancing back at the dog with a smile before a pain in her hands caused her to drop the phone.

"Fuck," she mumbled, carefully picking up the device and depositing it back on the nightstand. "Back to sleep it is."

Beca turned her head away from her phone that was already lighting up with new notifications from the post, blocking it out and nudging Zeus until he cuddled close enough for her to wrap an arm around him.

* * *

"Why don't they play poker in the jungle?" Stacie asked randomly, grinning at Beca and Chloe. At their blank faces, she said, "Too many cheetahs."

Chloe rolled her eyes and Beca bit down on her lower lip, grinning at her best friend. "Why didn't the toilet paper cross the road? 'Cause it got stuck in a crack."

Stacie laughed out loud and even Chloe let out a soft chuckle.

"How do you find Will Smith in the snow? Follow the fresh prints," Stacie joked, twisting the final word so it sounded like "prince."

Beca grinned, looking expectantly over at Chloe.

The redhead shook her head in defeat, chiming in, "What do you call a deer with no eyes?"

Beca thought hard, but shrugged after a minute.

Chloe exaggerated her southern accent, saying, "No eye deer."

Stacie laughed again as the corniness set in on Beca's face. "No idea!"

"That was awful," Beca pointed out, though her smile was back. "How did the hipster burn his tongue?" After a beat, she finished, "He drank his coffee before it was cool."

Chloe and Stacie both laughed at that one, and Beca found herself joining in as she leaned back in the comfortable chair. It was day four of her current chemo cycle, but she was in surprisingly good spirits and wanted to take advantage of the light mood in the room.

"What do you call it when Batman skips church?" Stacie continued, shooting her a wink. "Christian Bale."

Chloe shook her head at that one, but Beca found it humorous. She pulled her cancer blanket a little higher up her chest, feeling a little restless. "You know, I think I'm up for a walk," she said, carefully rising to her feet.

Stacie and Chloe exchanged glances, before her girlfriend said, "Stace, why don't you go? I was supposed to call Jess and catch up anyways."

Beca smiled and shuffled over to her, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Say hi for me."

Chloe nodded, pulling her phone out of her purse on the floor.

Beca grabbed her IV stand, leaving the room as Stacie held the door open for her. They walked slowly down the hall, almost reaching the nurse's station when Stacie stopped.

"Ah, shit, I forgot your phone! I could take a photo or video of you strutting your stuff. Will you be okay for a minute?" Stacie asked, looking hesitantly at her.

Beca rolled her eyes, retorting, "I'll be fine. Besides, if I collapse there's like fifty nurses around here that can help me back up."

Stacie winked at her and spun on her heel, walking quickly back to her treatment room. Beca ambled in the opposite direction, knowing Stacie's long legs would catch back up to her quickly, especially since she had to roll the IV stand next to her.

Beca took a deep breath, smiling at her brief moment of freedom. It was nice to have Stacie and Chloe keeping her company and helping her through treatment, but it was equally nice to not have someone hovering over her for a minute asking if she was okay, or if she needed anything. She made it to the end of the hallway, turning the corner only to run smack into another person and fall in a tangled heap to the ground.

"What the fuck, dude?!"

Beca heard the voice come from somewhere to her left as a pair of nurses came rushing to help them up. She was thankful her IV stand remained upright and that the needle was still safely inserted into her port, and tried to ignore the pain in her side from where they'd collided. Getting her bearings, she looked up to see a thin girl about her age glaring fiercely at her. She had bluish gray eyes, a black beanie snugly over her head, and was also hooked up to chemo with a familiar grip on her IV stand.

"Sorry," Beca mumbled as Stacie came rushing to her side clutching her cell phone.

"Watch where you're going," the girl said, clearly irritated as she turned around and headed in a different direction.

Beca stood frozen for a moment, trying to get a handle on the dull pain coming from her hip area. She must have taken an elbow or something on the way to the ground, and knew she'd have a bruise to show for it.

"Always causing trouble, Mitchell," Stacie teased, slipping her hand gently into the crook of her arm not gripping the IV stand. "Who was that?"

Beca shrugged, turning her gaze on her best friend. "No idea. Never seen her before."

Stacie brushed it off, holding the phone up with a grin. "Well, there's bound to be other people in here. You're not THAT special. Now, come on. Let's take a video where you don't cause an accident so everyone can see what a smooth walker you are."

* * *

"And then I turned the corner and ran into this chick who was also hooked up to chemo and we both ended up on the floor. The nurses helped us up... it wasn't a big deal," Beca explained, leaning back into the soft couch cushions as Chloe covered her with an extra blanket.

"Not sure how you managed that," Chloe replied, watching as Zeus hopped up to join her. "It's not like either of you could move that fast. Must have been like a slow motion collision."

Beca scoffed, "Fuck off. I don't even know why I apologized. She ran into me as much as I hit her."

Stacie chuckled, flipping on the television. "Yeah, but from what I saw, she ended up on top. We gotta work on your fighting skills. You went down way too easy."

"I just wasn't ready, that's all," Beca defended, huddling further under the blankets as the chills hit, thankful for Zeus' warmth next to her.

Chloe sat down on her other side, and Beca leaned closer into her embrace. Thankfully, the chills didn't last very long, and she soon found herself dozing off as Chloe and Stacie debated on a movie to watch.

* * *

Beca woke to the sound of her name, barely processing it as she still felt slow and sluggish and asleep. Chloe was gone from beside her, and she was pressed face first into the back of the couch with Zeus curled up on her legs. His weight was uncomfortable, but she wasn't awake enough or strong enough to move him.

"At least she seems okay right now," Stacie's voice was soft and careful.

"It was a good day, today. They're becoming more and more rare."

Chloe's answer surprised her, and Beca kept her face turned away from them as they continued to talk softly.

They were quiet for a moment, before Stacie asked, "Have you guys seen the doctor lately?"

Chloe sighed, answering, "Yeah, we see him before each chemo cycle. Thankfully, he decided she only needed to get the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy after every three cycles since he can determine her progress through blood tests."

"I've heard those are really painful."

"Yeah, she gets a shot for pain, but still almost broke my hand the first time," Chloe said, and Beca could tell she was smiling. "We haven't gotten much news, really, good or bad. There has been a slight drop in Beca's test results, but he said that was to be expected from the initial reaction to the chemo."

Stacie commented, "That's good, then. Right?"

"I don't know," Chloe answered, and Beca could hear the strain in her voice. "The symptoms are so real... she's so thin, and almost never hungry. She sleeps a lot, and I can tell she's in pain, even if she denies it..." Chloe's voice trailed off in a soft sob.

Beca bit her lip as the couch shifted, but didn't dare move. She assumed Stacie had moved to comfort Chloe when she heard her girlfriend sniffle.

"I'm sorry, it's just really draining," Chloe finally said. "And terrifying to see what the cancer and the treatment is doing to her. I mean, you see her, Stace... it's like she's fading."

"Hey, Beca is strong and she has us," Stacie said comfortingly. "Yeah, I mean we can all see the impact, but she can do this. We knew it would get worse before it gets better. That's how chemo works. I think she's doing great, all things considered."

Chloe sighed, "She is. Don't get me wrong, she's incredible. I knew it was going to be hard, but I never imagined it would be this hard."

Beca sucked in a breath and twitched a little, kicking herself when both women fell silent. Beca knew she should probably tell them she was awake, but it was enlightening listening to Chloe talk honestly about how this whole process was affecting her.

After a few long moments, they must have decided she was still sleeping.

"Chloe, are you taking care of yourself? You can't just focus all your time and energy on her and forget about you," Stacie said quietly.

Chloe answered immediately, "Honestly... I'm exhausted, but I have to be there for her. I haven't really slept well since we got the news that day. It's like I'm afraid that I'll go to sleep and when I wake up she'll be gone. I need to spend every possible minute with her."

"You can't be there for her if you make yourself sick, either due to lack of sleep or worry or whatever," Stacie reasoned. "She wouldn't want that, you know."

"I know, I just..." Chloe's voice trailed off. "Beca said after she got diagnosed that she didn't know how to do this. I realize... I don't know how to do this either."

Stacie chuckled softly, "No one does. You just try to be there for her as best you can. I will say that it's completely draining, and I haven't even been here for most of it."

Chloe replied, "You have no idea."

Before she could elaborate, Zeus launched himself off the couch barking furiously at the door. Beca jerked up wildly, looking around in the low light of the room.

"What's wro... ah!" Beca cried out in pain, her whole body protesting the sudden movement.

Chloe was at her side instantly, easing her arms around her in a hug as Zeus continued to bark angrily at the front door. "It's okay, baby. Zeus must have thought he heard something."

Beca sighed, laying her head in Chloe's lap as her girlfriend gently stroked her fingertips over her back and arm. It felt soothing, but wasn't enough to distract her from Chloe's confession to Stacie. Chloe was overdoing it because of her... what would happen in a couple months when she was weaker than ever and Chloe had to go back to work?

The guilt overtook her slowly, thinking about how Chloe almost made herself sick over Beca. She didn't want that, and knew she needed to help Chloe be more balanced. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden to the redhead. Before she could think much more, Chloe's fingertips playing over the back of her head had her drifting off to sleep and away from the pain.

* * *

Beca yawned as the episode ended, frowning when she saw her chemo bag was still half full. It seemed like it was taking longer than usual today, and she was beyond ready to head for home. The last day of the treatment cycle was always the worst, and today was no different, despite the fact that she'd gotten the nurse to help her rig the TV to watch Orange is the New Black on Netflix. Chloe was reading quietly in the chair next to her, having decided after the first few episodes the show wasn't for her. Beca had simply informed her she was wrong, but it hadn't swayed her stance.

Before the next episode could autoplay, Chloe paused the TV and looked over at her. "Want to chat for a bit?"

Beca shook her head, folding her hands together under her cancer blanket. Stacie had returned home two days ago for some family thing, and Beca felt a little awkward being alone with Chloe after what she overheard. She didn't want Chloe to worry about her, which had resulted in a lot of silence between them.

"Not really. I kinda just want to watch my show and go home," Beca replied.

Chloe frowned, closing her book and setting it aside. "Come on, Bec. We've barely talked since Stacie left. Are you okay?"

Beca felt the irritation bubbling up inside her, snapping, "I'm so fucking tired of everyone asking if I'm okay. I've got cancer... I'm not fucking okay."

Chloe's eyebrow rose, pausing a minute before saying, "What do you need from me?"

"You know, I'd really like to be alone for a bit. Is that okay?" Beca answered, her tone less frustrated, but still firm and not fully under control.

The guilt hit her instantly as Chloe's lips formed a firm line and her eyes turned sad. "Yeah, of course," she said, before getting up and walking out, leaving the door open.

Beca watched her go, sighing and covering her face with her hands for a few seconds. "Fuck," she mumbled, knowing she'd overreacted. At the same time, there was a measure of truth in her feelings. She was tired of being treated like she was dying. It was like she was completely helpless and sick, and that was all that defined her. Like she wasn't a normal person anymore and needed to be treated specially.

Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she snagged the remote and resumed the next episode. She leaned back a little in her chair as the intro played, wondering how it was possible that season three was turning out worse than the awful depression that was season two. Not even Alex being back as a regular was helping, and she contemplated giving it up. Chloe didn't like it anyways.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You have your own room?"

Beca snapped her head towards the door, frowning at the person poking their head in. It took her a minute, but she finally recognized the intruder as the girl she'd run into in the hall earlier that week.

"What do you want?" Beca retorted, pausing the episode without taking her eyes off the girl.

"I want to know what makes you so special you get your own room," she said, stepping inside and rolling her IV stand in after.

Beca glared at her, saying, "Fuck off. I don't have to explain anything to you."

She gave Beca hard stare, before glancing at the television and breaking into a sort of grin. "You're way behind, you know. Season five is out already."

Beca remained silent, wondering if she was insane.

Suddenly, the girl stuck her hand out, introducing herself. "Blake."

Beca regarded her coolly for a moment, before reaching out and shaking her hand. "Beca."

They were silent for a moment, studying each other before Blake spoke again. "So, Beca... whatcha in for?"

Beca couldn't help but smirk, holding back a full smile. "Leukemia. You?"

"Nice," Blake replied, moving to sit in the chair beside her. "Lymphoma. Aren't we a pair?"

"Two peas in a pod," Beca answered, still trying to figure the girl out. "Sorry, but like two minutes ago you hated me..." she trailed off, glancing at the door.

Blake shrugged, "Yeah, well, that was before you had a private room with my favorite show on. Except you're in fucking season three which made me want to murder Piper, and Alex, and pretty much everyone."

"Hey! No spoilers," Beca said, pointing a finger at her.

Blake held her hands up defensively. "Okay, okay, Jesus. But it gets better. Don't give up on it now just because it's shit."

Beca frowned. "I was thinking about it... it's pretty awful right now."

"Yeah, see, just have a little faith."

"Uh huh. Hey, what'd you mean with all that about my room? Doesn't everyone get one?" Beca asked curiously, not having ventured much further than her hallway.

Blake shot her a look, before shaking her head. "Uh, yeah... sorry to ruin your fairytale princess, but there's a group treatment area where all the peasants go. We don't hall have rich parents who can pay for this shit."

Beca's irritation came back in full force. "Hey, fuck you. I made my own money. And I didn't ask for any of this."

A look of recognition passed over Blake's face, and Beca sighed, knowing that the girl had figured out who she was.

"Holy shit. You're Beca Mitchell."

It was a statement instead of a question, and whispered so softly Beca barely heard her. She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for Blake to say something else.

"I'd fucking hate having your job."

Beca's eyebrows rose at the words, which were probably the last thing she expected the girl to say. "Seriously?"

Blake nodded, "Yeah, are you kidding me? Do you have any privacy? No offense, dude, but all the money in the world isn't enough to replace being able to walk down the street without getting mobbed."

"That's not why I do it," Beca said, her voice turning hard. "I just like making music. It's not my fault all that shit comes with it."

"Hey, chill out. I just meant I couldn't do it. How do you do it? No offense again, but you don't seem like much of a people person," Blake smirked at her. "Based on my extensive research, of course," she added with a laugh.

Beca's sighed and answered, "I'm not... a people person that is. My label put me through all kinds of media and PR training when I first signed. According to my publicist I'm a work in need of immeasurable progress."

Blake laughed at that, nodding her head in agreement. "Well acceptance is the first step, amirite?"

"It's my job, not a twelve step program," Beca retorted. "I'm just good enough to get by. What do you do?"

"I was in college," Blake answered. "Emphasis on the was. Had to drop out when this whole cancer thing took over."

"See, I could never go to college. Just the thought has me on the verge of puking," Beca said honestly. "What were you studying?"

Blake was silent for a moment. "Architectural design. I was a year into the program at Stanford before I got too sick to keep going."

Beca leaned forward, suddenly more interested. "Wait, Stanford? My best friend goes there. Does the name Stacie Conrad ring a bell?"

"Oh yeah, I'm on a first name basis with every student," Blake's sarcasm filled the room and made her smile. "All fifteen or sixteen thousand of us are besties."

"I get it," Beca rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be such a dick about it."

Blake frowned, looking down between her legs. "Damn. I thought I did a really good job of hiding it today, too." At Beca's raised eyebrow, she smirked. "Kidding, dude."

Beca grinned and leaned back a little in her chair, realizing she was genuinely enjoying talking to the girl. It was the first time in a long time someone was treating her like a normal person, and not walking on eggshells around her worried about offending her, or making her feel worse. It was refreshing, and despite how they'd met, Beca was quickly feeling comfortable talking to Blake. Maybe it was the cancer connection and it was just nice to talk to someone who was going through the same thing.

Beca shook her head, glancing up at the television. "So, you swear this shit gets better? 'Cause after the depression-fest that was season two, I can barely stand everything that's happening right now."

"Yeah, three was even worse than two," Blake complained, visibly frustrated. "Like, I was fucking pumped that Vause was back, and it started off okay, but then she got all paranoid and annoying."

"Exactly!" Beca exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "Finally, someone agrees with me. And Piper's always been whiny and annoying, but I prefer that version of her to this weird egotistical one. I mean, it's panties... which is fucking weird, right?"

Blake nodded, "Oh, super weird. And gross." After a second, she smirked at Beca, asking slyly, "How much would you pay for a pair of dirty prison panties?"

Beca wrinkled her nose, "That's revolting, and doesn't even deserve an answer."

"Aw, come on. What if they were your girl's?" Blake prodded, her grin growing wider.

"Dude, how do you even know I have a girl? And even if I did, why is she in prison?" Beca countered, even though she was growing more amused by the conversation topic.

"First, even if you hadn't just shouted it to the rooftops on Ellen like a month ago, everyone knows," Blake pointed out. "Also, a hot redhead passed me in the hallway after leaving this room, so I'm assuming that's her. Nice work."

Beca arched an eyebrow, thinking over that for a moment.

"Where'd she go, anyways?" Blake asked curiously. "Please say she went for coffee. I'd literally kill for a cup of coffee right now."

"I don't know where she went," Beca sighed. "I kinda snapped at her, so she's probably pissed at me."

Blake shot her a look. "Well, what the fuck did you do that for?"

"I don't know!" Beca said. "I'm an asshole sometimes. I guess I just got sick of being treated like I'm sick."

"Ah, yeah. She's still doing that, huh?" When Beca didn't say anything, she continued, "That lasted a while with my parents. Anyways, quit avoiding the question, Mitchell! How much for the panties!"

"Beca?" Chloe took a cautious step into the room, looking between Beca and the girl now occupying her chair.

Beca looked up at her girlfriend, her gaze switching between her and Blake for a moment before she started to laugh. Blake grinned and started laughing too, though Chloe continued to remain confused.

"What panties, Beca?" Chloe said sharply. "Who is this?"

Beca sobered up and sat forward in her chair, while Blake was still chuckling beside her. "Hey, babe. Uh, we were just talking about the show... Orange is the New Black. It was all hypothetical."

Blake butted in, saying, "I asked her how much she'd pay for a pair of dirty prison panties, but she turned me down. Then I asked if it changed things if they were yours and she still said no, so you two need to sort that out because that's fucked up."

Chloe's eyebrows rose as she looked back at Beca. "What kinda messed up stuff happens in that prison?"

"So much stuff," Beca grinned before addressing Blake, "And I don't need to pay anything for her dirty underwear. I live with her... I can get them for free."

Blake shook her head, arguing, "Dude, that's not even the point!"

Chloe interrupted them, focusing on Blake. "I'm sorry... who are you?"

Beca quickly introduced her, "Chlo, this is Blake. The chick I ran into the other day in the hall, literally. Blake, this is Chloe, my girlfriend."

The two women shook hands, Chloe stepping back to lean against the wall.

"Oh, shit, I took your seat," Blake said, actually looking genuinely apologetic as she made to stand up.

Chloe shook her head, saying, "No, sit. It's fine. I don't mind standing."

Beca patted her thigh. "You can sit here, Chlo," she said with a wink.

"I see someone has already forgotten what happened the last time I tried to sit on your lap," Chloe reminded her playfully, and Beca frowned at the memory.

Blake grinned, looking between them. "Didn't work out so well, huh. Cancer really puts a damper on your sex life. One of many wonderful side effects."

Beca shot her a look, and she held her hands up again in a defense posture. "Okay, okay, shit. Sorry. Sensitive topic. We can go back to talking about the hot garbage that is season three. Or the hotness that is Stella... those tattoos just do something to me."

"Seriously? She looks like Bieber," Beca retorted, rolling her eyes.

Blake shot back, "Hey! First, there's nothing wrong with the Biebs. Second, she's way hotter and has a better accent. Third, I can see at least two tats on you right now, so I know you're not trying to fight me on that."

Beca begrudgingly conceded on the tattoos, saying, "Okay, the tattoos aren't bad. But she's not my type."

"But would she be your type if your girl wasn't in the room," Blake quipped, laughing at the way Beca's eyes narrowed.

Chloe interrupted them, asking, "So, Blake, what do you do?"

"I was majoring in architectural design at Stanford before I had to drop out," she answered with a shrug. "Cancer kinda fucks your life up, but I'm sure you're figuring that out already." It wasn't said maliciously, more with a resigned tone of defeat.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Chloe said, her voice genuine. "How old are you?"

Blake shifted a little, saying, "I'm twenty, twenty-one in a couple months. I got diagnosed about two years ago. Lymphoma. My parents' names are Peter and Hannah, and I have four siblings. Want my social and bank info while we're at it?"

Chloe looked taken aback and Beca cut in, "Fuck dude, you don't have to be a dick to everyone. I mean I get it because I am one too, but Chlo's different. She's actually nice... like genuinely nice, which makes it even more of a miracle we ended up together."

Blake stayed silent for a moment, before turning back to Chloe. "Sorry... I get a little defensive sometimes. Old habits and all that."

"It's fine, reminds me of someone," Chloe said, glancing at Beca.

"Oh, I see what you did there," Beca said, nodding. "Funny, really."

Chloe smiled, saying, "What? You were just like that when we first met."

"How did you two meet?"

Beca froze and looked at Chloe. Thankfully, the redhead turned to Blake and said, "Well, the first time we met was in high school. I was teaching at Barden Academy and Beca was a senior and a pain in the ass all the time. We randomly reconnected a year after she graduated at a club in Nashville, and since she was less of a pain in the ass, I agreed to a date."

Blake turned her smirk on Beca. "Teacher, huh?"

"It's not like that," Beca said, shaking her head. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I would have. But like she said... I was a dick in high school. Kinda like you right now," she joked.

"Watch it. I've probably got a year of chemo on you and I still flattened your ass in the hallway the other day," Blake grumbled. "Don't make me challenge you to a duel."

"A duel?" Beca asked incredulously. "What century are we in? And let's be real, which one of us is gonna be able to throw a punch without keeping one hand on our IV stand?"

"Watch me," Blake retorted, but her smile was back. She glanced up at her bag, seeing it was nearly empty. "Well, I'm about done with this. I better get back so I can get the fuck outta here. You be back tomorrow?"

Beca shook her head. "No, today's my last day. Then I got three weeks off. You?"

Blake sighed, "I've got two more days before I'm done with this cycle." She looked at Chloe, asking, "Do you have a pen I could borrow?"

Chloe dug one out of her purse, handing it over.

"Thanks," she said, before proceeding to write her phone number on Beca's arm. "For when you need to bitch about the rest of season three and the beginning of season four. It gets better, but fuck does it hit rock bottom first."

Beca nodded, saying, "Thanks. I just might take you up on that."

After a second, Blake added, "Or if you just need someone to talk to about... well, all this. Someone who's going through it too. It was nice to meet you... you too Chloe."

Beca nodded as Blake returned Chloe's pen and shuffled out of the room. They stayed silent for a minute or two, Beca regarding Chloe carefully, unsure what her girlfriend thought of her new friend.

"She was... interesting," Chloe said, moving to sit beside Beca.

"Yeah, but at the same time, it was kinda nice," Beca admitted. "We were just hanging out, you know? Not two people with cancer... just two people hanging out and talking about a show. It felt normal. I haven't felt that way in a long time."

The nurse came in before Chloe could respond, saying, "Alright Beca, you're all done. Ready to go home?"

"God, yes. You have no idea," Beca said, the relief evident in her tone. "I can't wait to not see this place for three more weeks."

The nurse chuckled, flushing her line with saline before removing the needle from her port. "I can't wait until you're in remission, and you hopefully never see this place again."

"Sounds good to me," Beca said cheerfully, slowly standing up from her chair. "Let's go home, Chlo."

* * *

_(Chloe's POV)_

Chloe took a deep breath as she stared at the envelope in her hands, before glancing at the save the date pinned to the fridge. She'd completely forgotten about Ollie and Megan's wedding at the beginning of October... with good reason, but there was still nothing she could do about it now. She couldn't miss her brother's wedding, and she knew there was no way Beca would be well enough to go. That would be six months into her year of chemo and other treatment, and she could barely handle a walk around their neighborhood. It had been two weeks since Beca's last round of chemo, and the brunette only seemed to be declining as she got weaker and less able to fight off the side effects of her treatment.

She looked up at Beca settled comfortably on the couch, Zeus by her side as always, chatting away into her earbuds with her phone laying in her lap. Chloe knew she was talking to Blake by now, and if she listened hard enough she was certain to hear one detail or another about Orange is the New Black. Addicted wasn't a strong enough word, and Chloe found she was insanely grateful that Beca had found someone else to talk to about it. She couldn't take one more dinner conversation that revolved around whether or not someone was going to die or sell drugs or what kind of creep do you have to be to buy a random person's dirty underwear.

Chloe actually enjoyed talking to Blake that last day in the treatment center, and was glad that Beca had found someone who could relate to what she was going through. She knew that her ability to understand only went so far, and thought it would be good for her girlfriend to have someone who could answer her questions or give her tips on how to manage certain side effects. She'd found Blake to be all-too similar to Beca, and wasn't surprised that they'd seemed to connect instantly. It was another thing she was happy about, knowing that Beca rarely opened up to anyone and that Blake's cursing and "don't fuck with me" attitude had bridged a gap the size of the Grand Canyon in a matter of minutes.

Sighing, she knew she was going to have to talk to Beca about the wedding, and brought the envelope with her into the living room.

"I know! I don't wear glasses, but Chloe does sometimes. It's really hot, especially when she comes home from work. Everyday is like a sexy teacher fantasy," Beca said, winking at her when she sat down.

Chloe rolled her eyes, saying quietly, "Can we talk?"

Beca nodded, pointing at her ear to let her know Blake was talking. "Dude, you can get her some fake ones and play the cancer card. I bet she'd do it for you... and maybe she'd do a few other things for you too," she said suggestively. "Hey, I gotta go. Want to watch a few more episodes later?"

Chloe waited patiently for her to hang up the phone, raising an eyebrow when Beca pulled her earbuds out. "Who is Blake playing the cancer card on?"

Beca laughed again, answering, "Her girlfriend. She's still at Stanford, but visits her every other weekend. Anyways, what's up?"

Chloe hesitated before handing her the envelope, waiting patiently while she opened it and quickly scanned the invitation.

"I totally forgot your brother's wedding was this fall," Beca said, her voice more subdued. "Waited a while, didn't they?"

"Yeah," Chloe agreed. "I thought it was odd since Megan basically broke up with him when he took so long to propose, but apparently she wanted this one particular venue and it was booked solid in the fall until this year. They've had the date forever."

Beca was quiet, looking down at the cards in her hands. "Chlo, there's no way I'm gonna be able to go to this," she murmured, refusing to look up.

Chloe knew that was going to be the case, and also that there was really no solution. "I know, Bec. I'm not going to go either."

"What?" Beca looked up at her sharply. "It's your brother, of course you're going to go."

"He'll understand... so will Megan. It's not like we could have predicted this," Chloe said, gesturing toward the brunette.

Beca shook her head forcefully. "No way, Chlo. You have to go. We both know it. I'll be fine... Dad or Sheila will come stay with me. Jesus, it's just a weekend. I'll be fine."

Chloe sighed, replying, "We don't have to RSVP right away. Why don't we see how things go over the next month. How are you feeling today?"

"Fuck that," Beca said, slowly rising to her feet. "You're going. And I'm fine," she said, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders and walking away towards the kitchen.

"Beca," Chloe called, hoping she'd say and talk some more. "Where are you going? I was thinking we could talk or watch a movie or... I don't know, something."

Beca paused, but didn't turn around and Chloe frowned, wondering what was wrong. "I'm just gonna take a nap. Maybe later," she said, before shuffling down the hallway towards their bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, the first thanks goes out to my beta Arsto for being THE BEST! Extra special shoutout to her today since it's her BIRTHDAY! Hopefully she's cool with me dropping that news and I'm not in trouble :-D.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's still sticking it out through the good and the bad...the bad as of late.
> 
> Apologies again for the way that last chapter bounced around all over the place. I had an insane couple of weeks at work, and I think that got reflected in the chapter. As I said above, oh well.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! Sorry I forgot to put a warning about light OITNB spoilers last chapter. Also, just another friendly reminder that this story is not real, and while we try to make it as realistic as possible, some liberties must be taken so I don't go insane :-).
> 
> Music:
> 
> Dear Mr. President – P!nk

* * *

Beca shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her hip still sore from where Dr. Morris had performed the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy a few days ago. It was still painful despite the local anesthetic, and she'd ended up burrowing her face into the pillow, trying to focus on Chloe's voice whispering sweetly in her ear instead. They were currently waiting for the doctor to update them on her progress after the first three rounds of treatment, and Beca hoped he had good news.

She glanced over at Chloe, who was calmly looking back at her. Beca reached over and took her girlfriend's hand, giving her a hopeful smile. "I'm ready for some good news."

Chloe returned the smile and gave her hand a squeeze. "Me too, Bec."

Beca took a deep breath and leaned back a little in the chair, reaching up to tug her beanie down a little farther around her ears. She was going straight to her next round of treatment after they spoke with the doctor, and was feeling slightly impatient.

The door opened a few minutes later and Dr. Morris entered the room, giving them both a warm smile. "Hi ladies. How are we doing today?" He asked, moving to take a seat behind his desk.

"Peachy, doc," Beca quipped, sitting up straighter. "Can't you tell?"

He laughed, nodding in agreement. "Of course. You're looking quite energetic this morning, Beca. How are you doing, Chloe?"

Chloe's smile and tone was a little more reserved. "I'm fine, Dr. Morris. Ready to hear some good news."

His smile faltered for a second, before clicking a couple of times on his computer and flipping open a folder on his desk. "Well, unfortunately the results aren't as good as I'd hoped for," he started, studying the screen for a long moment.

Beca's heart dropped, wondering how much worse she'd gotten. She didn't know what they would do if the chemo wasn't working, and just the thought was causing her heart to beat furiously in her chest.

Dr. Morris glanced up and his eyes widened at their reactions. "Now hold on, don't go freaking out just yet. It's not what I'd hoped for, but it's not bad. There was always going to be a guaranteed drop in the results due to the chemotherapy killing healthy cells as well as cancerous ones. It's not so significant that I want to change your course of treatment, so that's good. We'll give it another three months and re-evaluate again."

Beca nodded, chancing a look over at Chloe. Her girlfriend was stoic, her expression not giving Beca any insight into what she was thinking or feeling.

Dr. Morris continued, "Now, your CBC is showing some improvement, which is why I'm not ready to alter your treatment. Your red blood cell count has actually increased, which is extremely encouraging."

"Why do I feel terrible then?" Beca asked.

"It's most likely the side effects of the treatment," Dr. Morris answered, meeting her gaze. "Unfortunately, while your white blood cell count has dropped, it's still incredibly high."

"What does that mean?" Beca interrupted, looking at him curiously.

Dr. Morris answered, "It most likely means that your bone marrow is still producing cancerous white blood cells at a high rate, so they probably aren't developed to maturity. That problem is magnified, because if they're immature they're not effective against fighting off disease and they're also taking up space that could be occupied by healthy cells."

Chloe spoke up, asking, "Is there any way to target the cancerous cells better?"

"If we could locate a concentrated area of them, we could use targeted radiation therapy," he answered. "But I'd rather not take that step at this time. I still feel confident that continuing on Beca's current treatment plan is the best option. If after another three cycles we're still at this point, we can look into other options."

Beca remained silent for a minute, before nodding in agreement. "Okay, doc. So I'm not getting better, but I'm not really getting worse either?"

"Technically?"

"No, hypothetically," Beca retorted, though she was smiling again.

Dr. Morris smiled back, answering, "Technically, you're slightly worse than when we started treatment. But from our past discussions you seem to be managing the treatment and side effects reasonably well, and I have no reason to believe we won't see your CBC results take a positive swing over the next few months."

"I'll take it," Beca replied, standing up and shaking his hand. "Thanks for everything," she added sincerely.

Chloe stood too, slipping her arm around Beca's waist. "Yes, thank you so much Dr. Morris."

He stood up, giving them both another smile. "Stay positive, ladies. Beca, you're doing extremely well, even if it doesn't always feel like it."

Beca nodded, turning and leading the way out of his office to make the trek to the other side of the hospital to start the next treatment cycle.

* * *

"Knock knock!"

Beca grinned as Blake shuffled into her treatment room, pushing an IV stand slightly ahead of her. "Hey stranger."

"Well, aren't you people a sight for sore eyes," Blake said cheerfully. "Hey Chloe."

Chloe smiled and immediately stood up to give her a quick hug, careful to avoid her IV lines. "Hey! Here, have a seat," she said, gesturing to the second empty chair. "We had them bring in another when Beca got your text."

Blake nodded appreciatively, collapsing into the chair and allowing Chloe to maneuver the IV stand so it was out of the way. "Thanks. The walk over here was harder than I thought."

Beca frowned in concern, looking over her friend. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine," Blake waved it away as her breathing steadied. "The doc seems to think I'm getting worse, but that's nothing new."

"Join the club," Beca said, winking at her. "My doc said the same thing, but then added how it was all expected and that he's confident things will look better soon."

Blake chuckled, saying, "They're really good at putting a positive spin on it, aren't they? Anyways, I came here to get away from the depressing people. What's new with you guys?"

"Well, since you asked," Beca said slyly, shooting a daring look at Chloe. "I'm getting ready for an album listening party next week. Just getting all chemo'd up so I'm ready to go, you know?"

"Beca..." Chloe trailed off, shaking her head.

Beca sighed, "Chlo, we talked about this. It's a small thing at the studio with just the people who worked on the album, and I'm fucking going. It'll be fine."

Chloe gave her a hard look, before turning to Blake. "I don't think it's a good idea with how compromised her system is right now," she explained, seeming a little justified when Blake nodded.

"I mean, she's gotta point there Becs," Blake said with a shrug. "But that party sounds sick. This is your album with P!nk?"

Beca grinned, answering, "Yep. And I fucking worked my ass off on it, and I'm gonna be there to celebrate. It'll be fine. Want to come?"

Blake's eyebrows rose, as if she didn't believe Beca was actually extending the offer. "Dude, don't joke like that. It's mean."

"I wasn't joking. You should come. You live around here, right? We're staying in town through next week, so we should hang out either way," Beca replied.

"Yeah, definitely," Blake agreed. "I still haven't met Zeus! I mean, if that's okay with you, Chloe. Don't want to intrude."

Chloe smiled at her, answering, "I'm sure he'd love a new friend. And you're welcome anytime. How many of your siblings still live at home?"

Blake sighed, "Two, not including me. My older brother just graduated from college this past spring, and my two younger brothers are in high school."

"I feel your pain," Chloe said sympathetically. "I grew up with four older brothers."

"And yet, you're still a sane, functioning adult," Blake said with a grin. "Good to know there's hope for me yet."

Chloe winked at her. "It's possible to survive, though I never had to deal with younger brothers. I just had to accept that I wouldn't be dating until they were all off to college."

Beca laughed at that, asking, "Seriously? Were they that bad? They seem okay to me."

"Said like a true only child," Blake quipped, putting a comforting hand on Chloe's arm. "She doesn't know our pain."

"Oh, fuck off," Beca said with a laugh. "You make it sound like it was so terrible to have siblings."

It was Chloe's turn, jumping in to say, "Just the dating part... and being all up in your business part. You wouldn't know anything about that since you had the freedom to sneak around with anyone you wanted without fear of someone ratting you out or beating them up."

Blake just nodded solemnly, completely siding with Chloe. "The older ones get more violent, but the younger ones kill them with irritation," she said, as if imparting some great wisdom.

Chloe hummed in agreement, adding, "Forgot about that part."

"Okay, okay, your brothers ruined your lives for a few short years," Beca quipped, still with an air of unbelief. "Cry me a river. Now you have a great relationship with your brothers," she pointed out, addressing Chloe.

"True," Chloe admitted with a smile. "Crazy idiots, all of them, but very loveable."

Blake shook her head. "I'll let you know when I've reached that point of acceptance. Still got a little ways to go in our house. Anyways, I talk to Beca all the time, what's new with you, Chloe? She's not being a dick, right? I'll beat her up for you, just say the word."

Chloe chuckled and shook her head. "She's moody, but that's a Beca thing, not a cancer thing."

"Love you too," Beca interrupted, her tone thick with sarcasm.

Chloe ignored her and continued, "Other than that, I'm just preparing for the school year. I've got three sections of freshman Bio and three AP sections. That kept me busy enough last year, and that was without dealing with all these," she said, gesturing at Beca.

"Did they want you to take on more students?" Beca asked, suddenly concerned.

Chloe hesitated, finally answering, "It was brought up, but ultimately everything is staying the same as last year."

"Well, what was the conversation?" Beca pressed, sitting forward in her chair. "Did they want you to trade out for another AP section? Obviously everyone realizes you're an incredible teacher, so I'm not surprised. What'd Dr. Williams say?"

"Beca, it's not important, okay?" Chloe replied, before swiftly changing the subject. "How're things with your girlfriend, Blake?"

Beca frowned at Chloe, but the redhead wouldn't meet her eyes. She decided to drop it for now, wondering if maybe Chloe didn't want to talk about it in front of Blake, and instead turned to her friend to hear her answer.

"Hailey's good," Blake said with a smile. "She, uh, she just told me she got accepted for this study abroad thing in the fall in Rome. She actually leaves in a week, so that part kinda sucks."

Beca turned her frown Blake's way, asking, "Wait, she just told you? When did she find out?"

"Yeah, a while ago. I told her it was shady to keep it from me. She said she felt bad since I obviously couldn't go with her, and didn't want to throw it in my face," Blake explained, not looking totally convinced. "It's whatever... I'm used to missing out on things by now. Just part of the deal, you know? I wouldn't ever want to hold her back, and this will be amazing for her."

Beca turned an accusatory stare on Chloe, crossing her arms over her chest. "See? Now will you RSVP to your brother's wedding? I want you to go!"

Chloe's expression turned, irritated, replying, "Beca, I don't want to talk about that right now."

"Come on, Chlo. I don't want you to miss out on that kinda stuff because of me. You should be there celebrating with your family," Beca insisted, not giving up so easily.

Chloe just shook her head, keeping her mouth sealed shut. "I'm gonna go get some coffee. Want anything?"

Beca sighed in defeat as they both shook their heads, saying, "Okay, fine. We'll talk about it later." She turned back to Blake as Chloe left the room, asking, "Is she coming to visit before she leaves?"

Blake nodded, her lips twisting into a grin. "Yeah, she's coming to spend the weekend and a few days next week with me before she leaves. Gonna be an epic visit full of hand-holding, movie watching, and some of the most PG relationship shit you've ever seen," she said with a wink.

"Sounds really familiar," Beca shot back, breaking into a laugh.

There was a moment of silence between them, before Blake asked, "Hey, uh, sorry if I'm overstepping, but are you two okay?"

Beca frowned, taking a deep breath before answering. "Well... I don't know. I mean, I want to say yes, but it's been different lately. We don't talk as much... part of that's my fault. She's so worried about me all the time that I've held back a bit, to try and not seem like this is the shitstorm it is. I mean, you know... it's fucking horrible, but maybe Chloe doesn't have to think that."

Blake shook her head, replying immediately, "Dude, that's stupid. No matter how you try to justify it, you're shutting her out."

"Maybe a little, but it's only so she stops worrying so much!" Beca argued. "She's not sleeping, and I don't know... she's too worried about taking care of me and she's not taking good enough care of herself."

"Why don't you just tell her that," Blake suggested, the simplicity of it catching Beca off guard.

Beca shook her head after a moment, answering, "She'd just tell me she's fine, and that I shouldn't worry about her."

Blake grinned, clearly enjoying this conversation. "So you're a mind reader now? Or you can see the future?"

"Oh, fuck you. How would you know anyway?" Beca shot back, though she wasn't angry.

"You forget, I've been fighting this a lot longer than you have," Blake said, not bothered at all by the snippy retort. "My mom did the same thing until my dad and I finally sat her down and told her she needed to stop. She wasn't sleeping, barely eating... she was making herself sick and I was the one with cancer."

Beca sighed, digesting that information. "It's different... that was your mom, and Chloe's my girlfriend. And anyways, you saw her earlier. It's not like she's this open book of information either. She's holding stuff back and not talking to me either."

Blake hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, that whole communication thing is a two way street, and a total relationship killer. You better figure that shit out."

"That's what you've got for me? Figure that shit out?" Beca grinned, her tone incredulous.

"Yeah," Blake said with a laugh. "I'm not Oprah. Or Dr. Phil. My girlfriend is about to flee the country for an entire semester, so clearly I should be much lower on your list for relationship advice."

"Come on, that's not what she's doing," Beca answered with a shake of her head. "It's not like that, is it?"

Blake shrugged. "Look, Hailey and I aren't you and Chloe. I'd already been diagnosed, and we'd been dating for a month before I told her about the cancer. I gave her an out, but she stuck around. It was good at first, you know, but we haven't really been a couple for a long time... not like a real couple anyways."

Beca nodded her understanding, knowing how difficult it was when almost all physical affection was off the table. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Chloe won't talk about it, obviously, but I know she misses it. I do. Were you guys ever able to?"

"Yeah, in the beginning," Blake answered. "They caught my cancer early, and my treatment plan was much less aggressive. But it didn't work, and I got worse, and well, here I am."

"That sucks, dude," Beca said. "God... fuck cancer!"

Blake gave her a weak smile. "I want her to go, though. It'd be worse if I held her back. I... well, let's just say my outlook isn't improving."

"Not with that lame-ass attitude," Beca retorted under her breath, despite the resigned tone in her friend's voice.

"I'm serious, dude. They've switched my treatment plan multiple times because I stopped responding to the drugs," Blake admitted. "At some point you kinda accept that maybe you won't win... and you gotta figure out how to come to terms with that."

Beca stared at her, asking, "How do you become okay with that?"

Blake paused, glancing at the door before meeting Beca's eyes. "No fucking idea."

* * *

"Chloe! Come on! You look gorgeous and if we don't leave in the next five minutes we're going to be whatever comes after fashionably late!"

Beca glanced irritably at Zeus, who stood patiently next to her by the door.

"One more minute!" Chloe called from somewhere deep in their bedroom, possibly the bathroom.

Beca sighed, moving over to sit down on the couch, patting Zeus when he strolled over within reach. A few minutes later she huffed again, wondering if this was Chloe's plan to keep her from going. Despite her best efforts, they'd barely discussed attending the listening party, and she was sure that Chloe would rather they stay home.

Chloe rushed out from the bedroom of their rental house just in time for someone to knock on the door. Beca raised an eyebrow at her, glancing between her girlfriend and the door. Chloe brushed past her with a wink, opening the door to reveal none other than Isaac.

Beca's jaw dropped as Zeus barked and jumped up to greet the man. "Isaac? What are you doing here?"

Isaac greeted Zeus, laughing as the dog continued to freak out for another minute.

Chloe let him inside and closed the door behind him, saying, "I was stalling until he got here. Sorry, baby. I'll let him give you the news."

"What news?" Beca asked curiously, as Zeus finally left him alone long enough to give her a brief hug.

Isaac smiled at her, saying, "The news that we just moved to California!"

Beca's jaw dropped again for the second time in as many minutes, looking between the two of them. "What? How? When did you..." She trailed off, completely at a loss for words.

Isaac filled in smoothly, "We were ready for a change, and my wife actually has family outside of L.A. The girls got excited about the idea of moving here when we mentioned it, and decided it was the right time to make a change. I also knew that Chloe would be going back to work soon and you cannot drive yourself, and after much persuasion she admitted it would be helpful for me to be closer."

Beca was desperately trying to process the information being thrown at her, and ultimately was left with an overwhelming feeling of relief and appreciation for the man who'd been by her side for a majority of her career. She hugged him again, barely keeping the tears at bay.

"Thank you," she whispered, not trusting herself to say anything else.

"No problem, DJ. I missed you, anyways," he said, hugging her back. "But only a little."

Beca chuckled, pulling back to look up at him. "Yeah, alright. Don't get too emotional on me."

Isaac winked at her, before asking, "So, you ready to go to the studio?"

Beca turned to Chloe, asking, "Ready, babe?"

"Ready," Chloe answered. "Do we need to pick Blake up?"

Beca shook her head, her face briefly turning sad. "No, she said she's not feeling up to it. Hailey's with her, so at least she's not alone. I'll call her later."

Isaac looked at them curiously as they left the house, Beca explaining about Blake as they got into the car and backed out of the driveway.

* * *

Beca walked up to the back entrance of the studio, pausing as Isaac swung the door open for them. She stepped inside and lead Chloe through the building to the lounge area that was already occupied with people milling around. She hesitated a moment before entering, reaching up to gently run her fingers through her hair and making sure the wig was still snugly in place.

Chloe leaned forward and kissed her cheek from behind. "You look beautiful, Bec," she whispered, slipping her arms around her waist in a quick hug.

Beca nodded, forcing a smile as she walked into the room. Joey spotted her first, grinning ear to ear as he jumped up and hugged her. "Beca! We weren't sure if you were gonna make it, but I'm glad you did. Wouldn't be the same without you."

"Thanks Joey," Beca replied, hugging him back. "Couldn't miss listening to my first produced album. Is Alecia here yet?"

Joey shook his head as more people started crowding around them. Beca was suddenly swept up in a tidal wave of people greeting her, asking her how she was feeling, and telling her how amazing she looked. It was overwhelming and exhausting all at once, and by the time she finished saying hello and introducing Chloe, all Beca wanted to do was take the longest nap ever. Chloe's face was concerned, but she gave her a smile, not wanting her to worry.

They grabbed some food and a couple of drinks and found a seat on one of the couches just in time for Alecia to arrive with her family. Beca grinned at their excited faces, having met Carey and her kids before. They eventually made their way over to where she was sitting to say hello, and Beca finally introduced Chloe.

"Chloe! I feel like I know you way better than just having met you once... this one talks about you all the time," Alecia said, gesturing at Beca, as Carey nodded before taking the kids to get something to eat.

Chloe was a little starstruck, but returned the woman's bright smile. "All good things, I hope."

"Of course," Alecia winked, turning to Beca. "How're you feeling? I'm glad you're here. It wouldn't be the same without the genius behind the album."

Beca shook her head, answering, "I think you're the genius behind this album, but thanks. I'm feeling good."

Alecia raised an eyebrow, glancing at Chloe. "You sure? You kinda don't look so good, Bec."

Beca brushed it aside, insisting she was fine. Alecia shrugged, but Carey called her over to help with the kids before she could say anything more. One look at Chloe let her know the matter was far from resolved, and she could feel the irritation bubbling up inside her.

"Chlo, drop it. I'm fine," Beca murmured, her voice low and serious. It really wasn't that bad, she just felt a little tired. Thankfully, she wasn't in much pain, and was really looking forward to enjoying herself at the party and feeling normal again.

* * *

They were about halfway through the album, the sound of the tracks mixing well with the happy chatter circulating around the room. Beca was leaning comfortably into Chloe's side, listening as Joey explained some of the process to Chloe. She grinned at the fascinated look on her girlfriend's face, loving how quickly Chloe was picking up on some of the things he was talking about.

The music paused and Alecia appeared at her side, whispering in her ear, "Feeling up to a live performance?"

Beca hummed thoughtfully, flexing her hands a couple of times. "Yeah, I think we could make that work," she grinned. "What song?"

"Well, if you're feeling up to it," Alecia began, "I was thinking we could do Dear Mr. Pres, just the two of us and a guitar... and maybe stream it live? If you want..."

Beca laughed at the hopeful look on her face, slowly standing up from the couch. "Yeah, alright then. Let's do it."

A few minutes later the pair of them were perched on a couple of stools, with Beca taking a moment or two longer to get comfortable with the new guitar she was currently holding. After a moment, she nodded at Alecia to let her know she was ready.

Alecia turned forward and addressed the small group, at least one of whom was streaming their little session live.

"Hi everyone! We're coming to you live from the listening party for my new album! I'm here with my kickass producer Beca Mitchell, and we're gonna give you a little preview of what we've been working on. This one's called Dear Mr. President."

Beca smiled and gave a brief wave before starting to play the intro, breaking into a grin at the lack of pain in her hands. She'd been nervous, knowing it had been a while since she played any instrument, but relaxed into the performance and grew more confident as Alecia started to sing.

_Dear Mr. President_

_Come take a walk with me_

_Let's pretend we're just two people and_

_You're not better than me_

_I'd like to ask you some questions_

_If we can speak honestly_

 

 

_What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?_

_Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?_

_What do you feel when you look in the mirror?_

_Are you proud?_

Beca took a nervous breath, steeling herself before joining in singing backup in the chorus.

_How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?_

_How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?_

_How do you walk with your head held high?_

_Can you even look me in the eye?_

_And tell me why?_

They kept it soft and slow and emotional, with Beca smiling back at the look Chloe was giving her. It was one of surprise and amazement, and there was a depth of feeling she couldn't quite place. Beca glanced around at the audience, fighting back a laugh at some of the expressions. They'd known this song was daring, but had agreed that there was a need to draw attention away from petty politics and try to turn the focus back to where it belonged... on the people who were struggling every day fighting for freedom and equal rights and holding those accountable who had the power to change things for the better.

Beca knew Alecia had picked this song intentionally to perform today, and fully supported her choice. She still remembered Alecia pitching the idea for the song on their first day together, sitting in a room together and feeling the passion with which the woman spoke about the issues and her frustrations. It was captivating and contagious, and Beca was on board within minutes, wanting to write a powerful song that they could only hope affected the change that was so desperately needed.

She continued playing the song, becoming mesmerized at the emotion that Alecia was able to convey with her voice and body language. It had happened while they were recording it as well, but it never failed to hit Beca just as hard each time.

As they neared the end, Beca felt a familiar tingling sweep from her fingertips up her hands to her wrists. She was already tired, and wasn't sure she could handle the burning pain that was almost sure to follow. Making things worse, they were being filmed and broadcasting live on some site, possibly Facebook, and the last thing she wanted was to take the spotlight off Alecia and the incredible song they wrote together. Just once she wanted to have a normal moment and enjoy the results of all their hard work.

Beca clenched her teeth together, lips forming a tight smile as she watched Alecia sing the last few lines. She let out a slow breath after strumming the last notes, shooting the woman a relieved smile as the room let out a loud cheer.

"Hope you guys liked that sneak peak off my new album! Thanks for watching and don't forget to grab a copy! It drops August 10th!"

Beca wasn't sure if they'd stopped filming them or not, but a burning sensation in her hands caused her to wince and drop the guitar, letting it hang around her shoulder by the strap. She suddenly felt lightheaded and unbalanced on the stool, closing her eyes for a second as she tried to regain control.

Chloe's voice sounded through the haze, her tone soft but worried. "Bec? Beca, are you okay? Look at me, baby."

Beca opened her eyes to see Chloe nervously looking back at her. "I'm just a little tired, Chlo... and my hands..." She mumbled, not finishing her thought.

Chloe must have known, though, because suddenly Isaac was there helping remove the guitar from around her neck. "We're going back to the house Bec," Chloe said. "You should be in bed."

"No," Beca said, taking another minute before sitting up straighter on the stool. "I'm okay, I just need a second."

Chloe's eyes flashed, her voice dropping dangerously. "It wasn't a suggestion, Beca. Can you even stand up right now?"

"I don't have to," Beca countered, gesturing to the couch. "All I have to do is sit and listen to the rest of the album.

Alecia finally turned their way, not registering the tension between the two women. "That was awesome! You should see some of these comments, Beca."

Beca grinned and took a deep breath, turning on the stool to look at the phone alongside Alecia as she read some of the comments out loud. Chloe just shook her head, muttering something under her breath as she left them alone. Beca looked up to watch her walk over to grab another drink, frowning as she thought about their brief exchange. She knew Chloe was upset with her, but she was also tired of being treated like she was about to break. Just once Beca wanted to have a normal day where her life didn't revolve around cancer, but instead focused on the happiness she felt at the fact her first album as a producer sounded amazing.

Alecia left a few minutes later to do some press, and Beca returned to the couch to sit beside Joey.

"What's up with you and Chloe? Things looked a little tense earlier," he mumbled, shooting her a look.

Beca shook her head, answering, "She's overreacting. I had a thing there for a second, but I'm fine. I just want to be a music producer for one fucking day, and not have everything be about cancer. Is that really so much to ask?"

Joey shrugged, taking a sip of his beer. "No, I don't think so, but..." He trailed off when Beca's eyes narrowed. "Look, all I'm saying is it's not realistic to just pretend you aren't sick. You'll end up killing yourself that way. Is that what you want?"

"I don't need this shit from you too, okay?" Beca snapped, standing up. "I'm well aware of the fact I'm sick. Don't let this wig fool you. I'm reminded of it every time I look in the fucking mirror," she said, walking away before he could respond.

Beca weaved through the room until she escaped out of the door, navigating through the studio until she pushed through the front door and stepped out into the hot summer evening. She turned down the street, letting her anger and frustration out in the form of muttered curses under her breath. It took two blocks before she became short of breath, stopping to lean against the side of a building and placed her hands on top of her head, eyes closed.

A buzzing in her pocket had her fumbling for her phone, pulling it out only to ignore the call. The exhaustion of the day was really hitting her, and she sank slowly down to the ground when standing became too hard. Her phone buzzed again, and she saw Chloe's name on the caller ID. Beca let it ring, not in the mood for Chloe to yell at her for disappearing, or hear the worry in her voice that was sure to accompany it. Her girlfriend kept calling though, and after the third time Beca answered, steeling herself for the response.

"Beca? Where are you?"

She immediately felt guilty at the clear panic in Chloe's tone. Sighing, Beca leaned her head back against the wall, answering, "I went for a walk. I just needed to get away, Chlo."

She could hear Chloe take a deep breath, before her girlfriend asked, "Where are you, baby? Are you okay?"

Beca nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm a few blocks down from the studio, but I'll walk back now."

"Do you need Isaac to come pick you up?"

"No, I'm fine!" Beca said, raising her voice louder than she intended, drawing the attention of a few people walking by. "I'm fine. I'll see you soon."

She hung up, not waiting for Chloe to respond, and got to her feet. Ignoring the curious looks she was getting, Beca started slowly walking back to the studio. She knew Chloe and Isaac would be waiting for her, and took her time on the return journey to enjoy the solitude a little longer.

Chloe spotted her first, walking quickly up to her and wrapping her in a tight hug. "God, Beca don't do that! You scared the shit outta me!"

Beca pushed her back, meeting her gaze. "I'm an adult, Chloe. I'm allowed to go for a walk. Let's just... go back to the house."

The ride back was silent, save for the light music coming from the radio. Beca tiredly got out of the car and followed Chloe into the house, grinning as Zeus greeted them happily. Isaac made sure they were alright before leaving them alone for the rest of the evening.

Chloe stared at her for a minute, before saying, "Are you fucking kidding me? You just walk out of that party when you're so obviously not feeling well? You can't just do that, Beca! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Beca shook her head, all the irritation and frustration boiling over at her girlfriend's words. "Yes, I can actually! I felt like going for a walk so I left! I needed to not be there for a minute. I needed to be alone! What's the big deal?!"

Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously?! You could have collapsed! You could have..."

"I'm fine!" Beca shouted, interrupting her. "I'm fucking f..."

"If you say you're fine one more time I'm going to slap you," Chloe threatened, her hands clenched into fists. "You're not fine!"

"Yes, I am," Beca shot back, adrenaline coursing through her. "I just wanted one night to be about something other than the fact I have cancer. Why is that so wrong?"

Chloe sighed, "It's not, but you can't just ignore that you do have cancer, Bec. You're sick, you're not fine, and it's not okay."

"Gee, thanks for that," Beca snapped. "Why don't you articulate better just how fucking sick I am! I'm sure there are still a few ways you haven't managed to say it."

"You can't... you can't just keep acting like this isn't happening!" Chloe argued, her voice rising to match the brunette's.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm well aware it's happening," Beca retorted sarcastically. "Kinda hard to miss the fact that I'm dying, Chloe."

"You're not dying," Chloe's voice turned exasperated. "Don't say things like that. You're not dying."

Beca shrugged, knowing it was true. "Why not? You heard the doc. I'm not getting better, which means I'm still dying. And the chemo is only killing me faster."

"No," Chloe shook her head, determined. "That's not what he said. Don't twist his words and take them out of context. Please, Bec, talk to me! And not just to say shit like that... that you know will piss me off."

"You don't want to hear what I have to say," Beca answered, turning and walking away.

Chloe shouted after her, "Don't walk away from me, Beca Mitchell. Of course I want to hear what you have to say."

Beca spun around, her eyes narrowing at Chloe. "I am more than cancer," she said quietly, as they both stood looking at each other in the momentary silence.

"I know that," Chloe replied, though her expression was hesitant.

Beca didn't respond right away, studying her girlfriend for a long moment. "Do you?"

* * *

Beca opened her eyes, looking around at the familiar sight that was their bedroom. She glanced at Chloe's side of the bed, slightly wrinkled from where Zeus had rolled and shifted in his sleep, but otherwise still made. She rubbed her hands up over her eyes before resting them on the top of her head, trying to figure out what the hell happened to them.

She and Chloe had barely spoken since the fight last week, and it was clear to Beca that what had maybe started as a small shift was now a giant chasm. She'd also been forced to accept that Chloe had been right about her over-doing it at the listening party, and had spent the majority of the past few days exhausted and weak and tired. Being back at home in their bed helped, but Chloe was still pissed off at her and was keeping her distance. Which apparently included either sleeping on the couch or in the guest room.

Beca took a slow breath, deciding it was her turn to make the effort and try to apologize. She crawled out of bed, putting on her robe and slippers as the cool air hit her skin, avoiding looking in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. The reflection looking back at her wasn't something she wanted to see, all skin and bones and... sick. Of all the things she was avoiding lately, this was the one that she could put off addressing with the least repercussions.

Shuffling out into the main room, she found Chloe sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee reading something on her phone. Beca moved slowly into the kitchen, knowing she was in deep when Chloe barely glanced at her, which only magnified her surprise when her girlfriend spoke unprompted.

"Need some help?"

Beca stiffened at her tone, almost like Chloe was offering out of obligation instead of actually wanting to help.

"No, I'm good," Beca answered, hating how weak her voice sounded.

Chloe sighed and put her phone down, rising off the tall chair and circling around the counter. "Are you hungry?"

Beca frowned, repeating herself, "I said I'm good."

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Fine," she said in a clipped tone, moving back around the bar to grab her phone. "I'll be in the office."

Beca closed her eyes, knowing that she'd done the exact opposite of apologize. "Chlo?"

Chloe stopped, turning around with an exasperated look on her face. "What, Beca? What could I have possibly done wrong this time?"

Beca's heart dropped, wondering once more how they'd arrived at this point. Chloe used to look at her with love and hope and happiness, her beaming smile always sending a shot of warmth through her body, but now all she could see was hesitation and frustration and hurt.

"I'm sorry," Beca breathed, moving out of the kitchen toward her girlfriend. "I'm so sorry."

Chloe's posture relaxed a little and Beca felt a little boost of hope, before Chloe's next words smashed it to pieces.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this, Beca."

Beca froze, looking at the pained expression on Chloe's face. She would have believed it if someone told her that her heart stopped beating for a second. Yeah, things weren't great between them, but Beca hadn't realized just how serious the situation was.

"Chlo..."

Chloe shook her head, opening her mouth only to be cut off by her phone ringing. Beca's eyes pleaded with her not to answer it, but she did after a quick glance at the caller ID. Beca waited impatiently, growing more and more concerned at the way Chloe's expression changed instantly.

"What? Yeah, of course... of course I'll tell her. Yes, we'll be there. Let me know if there's anything we can do. I'm so sorry…okay, goodbye."

Beca swallowed nervously, asking, "What's going on?"

She caught a glimpse of tears falling down Chloe's cheeks a second before the redhead wrapped her in a tight hug. Beca's heart was beating uncontrollably, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend and relishing in the close contact that had been non-existent in their relationship for a while.

"Chlo, what happened?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, a massive thank you to my beta Arsto! Teamwork makes the dream work! :-P
> 
> Hang in there guys! Trust me, it's way harder for me to write than it is for you to read it haha.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who hasn't given up on this story!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! No spoilers today... just read it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything Pitch Perfect or Orange is the New Black. Very, very, very light OITNB reference in this chapter. I also slightly adjusted the lyrics to fit this story.
> 
> Music:
> 
> I Can't Not Love You – Every Avenue
> 
> Yours – Russell Dickerson

* * *

Beca stared out of the car window as the rain fell steadily down from the cloudy gray sky. It was only fitting that it rained today, of all days. She felt Chloe's hand rest gently on her thigh, turning to look at her girlfriend.

"I feel like I should be crying," Beca admitted. "But I can't. I just feel empty."

Chloe bit her lower lip, slipping her fingers between Beca's. "There's no right or wrong way to feel right now, Bec. It just... whatever it is, it is."

They sat in silence for another moment, before Chloe spoke again. "We should probably go in."

Beca nodded, though she made no move to exit the car. "We've never even met her family. Are you sure they want us in there?"

"Her parents invited us personally," Chloe answered gently. "We should at least say hello to them."

Beca nodded again, knowing it was the right thing to do. "Okay," she agreed, releasing Chloe's hand and opening the car door.

The service had been short, but beautiful and emotional. They'd sat in the back of the building, admittedly relieved it hadn't been held in a church. Beca knew that wouldn't have really jived with whom Blake had been, and was thankful that her parents had been so supportive of her. She'd never met them, or her girlfriend who had apparently flown home from her study abroad despite having only just arrived. The brief glimpses she'd had as they exited the building first only giving her time to register grief-stricken expressions.

She was still coming to terms with the fact that Blake had passed away. Nothing could have prepared her for that news, despite the girl telling her not long ago that the doctor said she wasn't doing well. It had been a cold dose of reality, and Beca realized just how quickly your situation could change. It seemed like just yesterday they were binge watching season five of Orange is the New Black, joking about how they'd have each other's back in prison and trading quips and arguments about the pros and cons of shower sex. In a split second everything had changed, and Beca felt like the world had been turned upside down, not sure how to deal with the loss of someone she'd gotten close to in such a short time.

Beca glanced up at the house as Chloe circled the car and laced their fingers together again.

"We don't have to stay long, Bec," she said, her voice soft.

"I know," Beca replied, squeezing her hand as they walked across the street and up to the front door.

The glass outer door was closed, but the main wooden door was propped open inside, letting guests know they were welcome to just enter. Chloe pulled the handle of the glass door, letting Beca step inside first. They wiped their shoes off on the mat before slowly making their way through the house to the main room where about fifteen people were scattered about, all dressed conservatively in black and murmuring in small groups.

Beca recognized Blake's parents speaking to an older couple, and looked in another direction instead of interrupting. She spotted a girl about her age, thoughtfully looking at her and making the connection that it was indeed Hailey. Letting go of Chloe's hand, she moved to join her in a different room away from the rest of the guests.

"Hey," she said softly, not wanting to startle her. "Hailey, right?"

The girl looked over at her, before turning away from the window to address her. "Yeah. Do I know you?" She asked quietly.

Beca shook her head, answering, "No, no you don't. Uh, I knew Blake. We met at the hospital and kinda connected... I guess we were friends. I'm Beca."

Hailey's eyes widened a fraction in recognition. "Beca Mitchell. Right, she... she told me about meeting you."

"She was a good friend to me," Beca said, feeling more awkward by the second.

Hailey nodded, closing her eyes for a second, before a few tears spilled down her cheeks. "She... she was an asshole, but she was also the best, you know? I can't..."

Beca's heart felt heavier by the second as she watched the girl break down in front of her. Not knowing what to do she gave her an awkward hug, unprepared for the way Hailey clung to her desperately.

"I shouldn't have left. I should have been here," Hailed muttered, holding on when Beca tried to pull back. "Now she's... she's..."

It was all too much for Beca, and she was feeling more and more suffocated by the second. Suddenly, Hailey pulled back and she got a look at the girl's eyes, equally unprepared for the pain and emptiness she found in them.

"She loved you," Beca said, hoping it was the right thing.

Hailey shook her head no. "No, she didn't. But that's okay. I don't think I realized I was really in love with her until the moment I got that call. We were young and the odds were against us from the beginning... and I have no idea what I'm gonna do now," she finished with a harsh laugh.

Beca remained silent, deciding that was the best course of action at this point. Hailey spoke again, rendering her decision correct.

"You were a good friend to her. She told me that," Hailey said, giving her a sharp nod. "You have cancer too, right?"

Beca nodded, replying, "Leukemia."

Hailey glanced behind her, and Beca instinctively knew she was looking at Chloe. "I really hope you're one of the lucky ones. I wouldn't wish this feeling on anyone. Excuse me."

Beca stood still as she slipped past her and left the room, turning to look at Chloe leaning in the doorway behind her.

Chloe approached her slowly, wrapping her in a hug. "You okay?"

Beca shook her head. "No... no, I'm not okay."

"Let's find her parents and pay our respects, and we can leave," Chloe whispered, and Beca thought that sounded like the best idea ever.

They moved back into the main room, relieved to see Blake's parents standing near a couple of younger boys who must have been her brothers. Beca led the way forward, pasting a weak smile onto her face.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Walker... uh, I'm really sorry for your loss," Beca started, feeling Chloe's hand slip into hers.

The man nodded, saying, "Beca. Thank you so much for coming, and for being such a good friend to Blake. I know you two hadn't known each other long, but she spoke often of you."

Beca nodded as his wife agreed, "You brightened her days. Know that. We wish you the best in your fight, Beca. Don't give up."

Chloe let go of her hand to wrap her arm around Beca, saying, "Thank you so much for calling. Please let us know if there's anything we can do."

"Chloe, it's nice to meet you in person," Blake's father said. "We appreciate the offer, but I don't think there's anything anyone can do right now. The only thing that will help us is time, and remembering all of the best things about our daughter. We encourage you both to do the same."

They wished her family well, even saying a few words to Blake's brothers before making their exit. Beca glanced to the side as Chloe pushed through the front door, catching a glimpse of Hailey sitting on the floor, leaning against a couch, all alone as tears streamed down her cheeks. The heartbroken look on her face said it all, and Beca stared for a long moment before Chloe's voice broke through the haze.

"Bec, you ready?"

She snapped her head up, meeting Chloe's curious gaze. "Yeah," she answered, following her out onto the porch with that image of Hailey seared into her brain.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

Beca nodded, giving Chloe a small smile. "Yeah, I'm sure. Sheila already said she'd go with me, and you can't miss the first week of school."

Chloe didn't look convinced, crossing her arms over her chest. "Look, I know things aren't... the best between us right now, but I can miss this week. Dr. Williams has already told me it's fine."

"But you don't want to, and you shouldn't have to," Beca replied simply. "Sheila can go with me, and I'm basically a pro at this whole chemo thing by now. You want to be at school, getting to know your new students, and that's exactly where you belong. I don't want you to put your life and career on hold for me."

She waited while Chloe studied her silently, not wanting to continue that train of thought in case it sparked another fight. Her short chat with Hailey had left a lasting impression, and Beca didn't want Chloe to end up losing a career she'd worked so hard for because of her cancer.

"Beca, you know it's just a job, right?" Chloe asked cautiously. "There are other teaching positions out there."

Beca's eyes narrowed. "Chloe, you love this job and Barden and the other teachers, for some reason," she muttered as a joke, though her girlfriend wasn't amused. "I'm just saying... I don't want you to stop living your life. That's all. Oh, and I'm taking Zeus with me. You'll have to manage without him for a week."

Chloe's lips formed a firm line, clearly not swayed by her distraction tactic. "Fine, I won't go for this round of chemo, but you need to stop fucking talking like you've given up. Telling me to live my life... I know what you're doing."

"I'm not doing anything, I'm just..." Beca trailed off with a sigh. "I'm being realistic, okay? It's basically... irresponsible not to at least keep it in mind."

Chloe's eyes flashed angrily, but she decided not to respond, instead giving Beca a long stare before spinning and walking into the office. Beca flinched as the door shut firmly, looking over at Zeus, who'd popped up from his bed in the corner. She sat down on the couch waiting for Sheila and Isaac to arrive, petting the dog's head when he stood within reach.

"You'll take care of her, right?" Beca murmured, lowering her forehead to press against his. "So she won't be alone."

Zeus immediately moved his head and licked at her face happily, forcing her to pull away. Beca looked back at the closed door to the office, not expecting Zeus to suddenly dash for the front door. She knew they were here by the way his whole body quivered with excitement, his tail wagging furiously.

Beca grabbed his leash and hooked it to his collar just in time for Isaac to open the door, catching Zeus' front paws when he jumped up in greeting.

"Probably should try to train that out of him," Beca said, smiling at the man.

Isaac grinned, rubbing behind the dog's ears. "I like knowing that he's happy to see me," he countered, finally letting him drop to the floor and took the leash from Beca. "All set? Sheila's in the car."

Beca nodded as he picked up her large suitcase, packed with stuff for her and Zeus' weeklong stay in L.A. "Yeah, I'm ready," she answered, taking one last glance at the closed office door before making her way out to the car.

* * *

 

Beca woke up as the car came to a stop, feeling confused as she looked out the window. She didn't recognize the house as the one they'd rented each month since her second cycle of chemo, wondering where they were.

"The owner of your usual place had to cancel last minute," Isaac explained as he opened her door. "We found this one instead."

"Oh, alright... whatever," Beca said with a small smile. "As long as it's got a toilet and a roof, it'll work out fine," she joked.

Sheila chuckled, getting out of the other side of the car and holding onto Zeus' leash as he jumped out behind her. "I think it'll have more than that, kid."

Beca followed them inside, surprised at how nice it was. "This is great. We should stay here from now on," Beca commented, her eyes instantly drawn to the piano in the corner of the living room. "It has a piano?"

"Yeah, I thought that might be a nice touch if you feel up to playing," Sheila said innocently, before helping Isaac carry their bags into their respective bedrooms.

Beca shook her head, knowing her stepmom was only trying to help. She hadn't played the piano since her diagnosis, the instrument hitting too close to the memories of her mom. While she had been working on song lyrics and melodies throughout treatment, Beca had yet to actually sing or play anything out loud.

Turning away from the piano, she whistled for Zeus to follow her into a bedroom, claiming she wanted to get a good night's sleep before treatment tomorrow.

* * *

"How're you feeling, kid?"

Beca glanced up at Sheila, shrugging in response.

Sheila sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you doing?"

"Getting chemo," Beca deadpanned, looking back down at her hands. "It's super fun... I don't know why more people don't try it."

"Funny," Sheila replied, her voice sounding tired. "I meant your... less than enthusiastic attitude lately."

Beca frowned, not wanting to talk about her feelings. "Sorry if I'm not super excited about my week of chemo. This is the last place I want to be right now."

Sheila hesitated, before saying, "Beca, I know it's probably hard to be here without..."

"Don't," Beca said sharply, interrupting her before she could continue that thought. "Just don't. You have no idea what this is like, and now I don't even have the one person who actually understood."

The silence was deafening as Sheila decided not to respond. Beca was grateful for that, knowing that there was nothing her stepmom could say to make her feel better. She missed Blake's company, especially the understanding and advice she would give when Beca was having a particularly rough day. She'd thought of finding another person to talk to, maybe even searching out the group treatment room, but knew that there was no way she'd find a connection like theirs again. It made her not want to try, and instead keep everything inside.

"I know we can't know exactly what you're going through, but you could try to help us understand," Sheila offered, trying to make peace. "Chloe and your dad and I, we love you so much, kid. You can talk to us about this stuff."

Beca's lips formed a hard line, looking away from her stepmom instead of responding.

"Have you spoken to Chloe since we got to L.A.?"

"What's with the interrogation? Am I under arrest?" Beca retorted, looking back at her despite ignoring the question.

Sheila's eyes narrowed at her. "Yes, for acting like an idiot. What are you doing, Beca?" Sheila asked again.

Beca frowned, feeling more and more irritated. "I'm not doing anything except trying to get through another week of chemo without being grilled."

"Okay, then," Sheila replied simply, rising from her chair and walking out of the room without a backward glance.

Beca let out a long sigh, leaning back in her and pressed her hands over her face. "Fuck!" she shouted, her hands muffling the word.

* * *

Beca shuffled through the quiet house to the kitchen for a glass of water, Zeus padding at her heels. It was two in the morning and she was careful not to wake up Sheila or Isaac, not wanting them to worry. She'd made it through the first four days of chemo, and was surprisingly feeling okay at the moment.

After pouring a glass of water, she slowly made her way into the main room until she found herself standing in front of the piano. Beca gently ran her fingertips over the keys, looking up at the ceiling and wishing she could see the stars. She wondered if this was how her mom felt when the treatment was sucking the life out of her, if she'd regretted losing music.

Making up her mind, Beca set her glass of water down on the coffee table and took a seat at the piano bench. There was a song she'd been working on that had been on her mind a lot lately, and her fingers itched to complete the melody. For a long moment she sat still with her hands on the keys, humming softly under her breath as she figured out what she wanted to do. Zeus realized she wasn't going to be moving for a while, and laid down half under the piano bench.

It took her about thirty minutes before she played a single note, digging her notebook out and jotting down several notes before placing it in front of her above the keys. Flexing her fingers, she gently played through the chorus once, then again making a few minor adjustments. The third time, she softly sang along.

_The further I run from you baby_

_The closer I get to the truth_

_And I feel like nothing can save me_

_It's something I just can't undo_

_'Cause I can't not love you_

She kept playing, improvising for a few bars before playing through it again without singing.

It didn't take much longer for her to work out the melody for the verses, a sense of satisfaction coming over her at being able to release some of the emotions that had been bottled up for too long.

_It feels like the world's spinning faster_

_Toward a beautiful perfect disaster_

_The moment you kissed me_

_I knew I was risking it all_

Instead of playing the chorus, she went straight into another verse, testing how the melody held up.

_I'm bracing myself for collision_

_In the backseat of my heart's decision_

_I'm rounding the curve_

_And I don't have the nerve to say no_

A flash of pain in her hands had her recoiling away from the keys, eyes closed tightly until it passed. Sighing, she sang softly again without music, knowing she was done playing for the night.

"The further I run from you baby, the closer I get to the truth. And I feel like nothing can save me... it's something I just can't undo. 'Cause I... can't... not... love you," Beca sang softly, keeping her eyes closed.

A creak behind her sparked Zeus into movement, and Beca spun around to see what caused the noise. Sheila stood at the base of the stairs watching her, reaching down to pet Zeus when he arrived at her feet.

"When did you write that one?"

Beca shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it.

Sheila didn't let it go, pressing further, "Is it about Chloe?"

"Almost all of my music is about Chloe," Beca replied, keeping her answer purposefully vague.

"Kid, it's really beautiful, but kinda tragic," Sheila said, moving into the room to sit on the couch. "What's going on with you two?"

Beca shook her head, looking down at her hands instead of answering. After a few minutes, she realized Sheila was going to wait for her to answer. "I don't know," she finally said lamely.

The blonde gave her a curious look, asking, "Is that the truth? Or do you just not want to talk about it."

"Both," Beca replied, before conceding, "Maybe the latter. It's just... everything has changed. She should have left me... I'm holding her back now."

"Do you really believe that?" Sheila's tone was incredulous, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "Beca, Chloe loves you. She wants to be there for you just like your dad and I do."

Beca scoffed, "Well, she shouldn't. It'll only make things worse in the end. I'm not getting better."

She stood up from the piano bench when Sheila didn't respond, seemingly at a loss for words, adding, "Maybe It'll be easier this way, since she pretty much almost broke up with me before..." Beca trailed off, her face hardening at the thought of Blake's funeral and their visit to her home. "I'm now putting the people I love most through what was the worst experience of my life. The longer it goes on, the more painful it will be," she said before walking out of the room, Zeus not hesitating to jump to his feet to follow her.

* * *

Beca adjusted her chair slightly to recline a little bit more, before closing her eyes and taking in the quiet room. She'd told Sheila she just wanted to be alone for chemo today, and was surprisingly enjoying the peaceful feeling of not having anyone hassle her, or ask if she needed anything. Her thoughts eventually settled on Chloe, which was no surprise. The redhead had a permanent place in her mind since the moment they met, and not cancer or chemo or distance was going to change that fact.

This journey... maybe battle was a more appropriate term, had been so much harder than she imagined. Beca recalled how her mom had fought the cancer for almost two years, and wondered how she did it. How she kept pushing through the pain and weakness and frustration, when after five months Beca felt like giving up. The fact that the side effects were more from the chemo than the cancer didn't really matter, because one way or another she felt worse and worse as the weeks went by.

Beca popped some ice chips in her mouth, wincing slightly as one hit a sore. Those definitely rivaled the pain and weakness in her hands, one depriving her of the joy of eating food while the other depriving her of cooking and playing music. It was a tie as to which was more frustrating. There was no replacement for the hours she used to spend playing music or making mixes on her laptop, but she found she was equally sad at the fact she didn't trust herself to cook something without accidentally hurting herself.

Looking around the small treatment room, she found herself glad once more that she was alone, realizing just how long it had been since she was really given time just to herself. Sure, she escaped to a bedroom or office when she didn't feel up to being social, but someone would constantly check on her to make sure she was alright. Beca was so tired of everything... of being treated like a fragile child who couldn't spend ten minutes alone, of being treated like nothing more than a sick patient instead of a person, and most of all tired of being a sick patient instead of a normal, healthy person.

As confusing to her as the reason behind people's long battles with cancer, was the clear understanding of why so many people didn't win their battle. She knew why the rapid decline happened, and what Blake had been trying to warn her of. Fighting was hard, and it took everything she had every single day. Every ounce of energy and perseverance and grit and mental toughness was necessary to survive another day.

Giving up was easy. It didn't require any of that effort, and it's much simpler to just say you tried and failed. Beca let those thoughts run freely for a moment, sighing at the lighter feeling they provided. It seemed so attainable in that moment, the freedom and weightlessness that would come.

Beca frowned suddenly as her phone lit up with a text, looking down to see Chloe's name on the screen. Chloe. Guilt hit her instantly at her previous train of thought, knowing how disappointed and hurt her girlfriend would be if she knew Beca was even entertaining those kinds of ideas. The thought of leaving Chloe behind was devastating, and she felt hot tears behind her eyes at her own weakness. Not to mention her dad and Sheila and her friends, and all the other people in her life that care about her. The thought of letting them all down was crippling, and in that moment Beca felt completely overwhelmed at her situation.

"I don't know how to do this," she whispered, looking down at her hands. "What am I supposed to do?"

A voice in the doorway made her jump in surprise, not expecting an answer.

"Well, for starters, you don't talk to yourself like a crazy person."

Beca smiled weakly as her best friend quickly crossed the room and hugged her. "What are you doing here? I thought you went back to school already?"

Stacie shrugged, collapsing into the chair beside her. "Sheila called. Said you could use a friend. Which I can see is an understatement if what I just saw is any indication. What's going on, Bec?"

The thoughts returned, and Beca blinked back the tears that returned instantly. "I... I don't think I can do this, Stace. It's so hard and I'm so tired all the time..."

"Stop." Stacie's voice was firm. "Stop it right now, Mitchell. You can't let yourself go there. Get out of your head for a minute."

"I can't," Beca shook her head, feeling hopeless. "I started off strong, but lately... I can't get outta my head. I have no one to talk to, and sometimes it just feels like it would be so much easier to..."

Stacie interrupted her again, "Beca Mitchell, I swear to God, if you say it would be so much easier to die I will slap you so hard it'll knock you into next year. And we're talking right now. Sheila will take us back to the house and you can talk to both of us there. You live with the most kind hearted, caring person in the world that will listen to anything you have to say. What do you mean you have no one to talk to?" Stacie finally finished, her tone part curious and part concerned instead of the angry shout she'd initially reacted with.

"It's not the same... you guys, you don't understand," Beca answered lamely, knowing how bad it sounded.

"Bullshit."

"Stace, it's not," Beca argued, finding a little more fire. "Forgive me if I don't want to talk about how much pain I'm in literally all of the time. Or how it feels to not be able to make music, or do my job. I don't want any more pity or sympathy or whatever the hell everyone is sending my way these days."

Stacie shrugged, answering, "What about love? What about the fact that we just love you and want you to know that we care how you're doing? You know, you seem stressed out, Becs."

"Imagine that," Beca retorted sarcastically. "I'm only dying... what could I possibly be stressed out about?"

Instead of answering, Stacie grinned and pulled out a little ball from her purse, dropping it into her lap.

"What is this?" Beca asked, holding it up to look doubtfully at it.

Stacie answered excitedly, "It's a stress ball! I was doing some research and I found that if you squeeze it and take deep breaths, it'll help you relax more and relieve stress. Try it."

Beca raised an eyebrow at her, before reaching back and throwing the ball as hard as she could through the door, feeling absurdly satisfied when she heard it bouncing around the hallway.

Stacie watched the ball fly out of the room, eventually turning her head back around to look at Beca. "Do you feel less stressed?"

Beca shrugged, replying, "Yeah, maybe a bit."

"See, it works," Stacie grinned proudly.

Beca couldn't help but chuckle at her friend, shaking her head as they both started laughing. "You're ridiculous."

Stacie nodded, reaching over to take her hand. "Yeah, maybe a bit. You're my best friend, Bec. I don't want to lose you, so if you really feel that way... you better fucking call me."

* * *

_(Chloe's POV)_

Chloe smiled as the last of her students filed out of the room, sinking down into the chair behind her desk. Thankfully the week was over and she could drown herself in ice cream and chick flicks all evening instead of working on lesson plans. The thought was equally comforting and depressing, and she leaned forward with her elbows on her desk, face pressed into her hands.

"Rough first week?"

Chloe looked up at the familiar tone, smiling at the sight of Aubrey walking towards her. "Yeah, but not because of my classes," she answered honestly.

Aubrey nodded understandingly. "How is she?"

"I don't know. I haven't heard from her all week," Chloe sighed. "Sheila either, for that matter. Which is a little strange... last time she updated me on how Beca was doing when she was too sick to talk herself."

"I'm sorry, Chloe. Things still aren't going well, then?"

Chloe shook her head. "She's shutting me out, Bree. Her friend died and I think she..." Chloe trailed off, finding it too hard to actually say the words out loud. She couldn't bear the thought that Beca had given up, that she was willing to just quit on her and her family and stop fighting.

Aubrey moved quickly around the desk, pulling her into a hug. "It's gonna be okay, Chloe. Beca is the most stubborn person I've ever met, and she loves you. She's not going to give up." Leaning back, Aubrey asked, "What does the doctor say?"

"Well, he said all things considered she's doing pretty well," Chloe replied. "But after we got the news about Blake... I don't really know how to describe it. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse between us, that news was like an olive branch. A white flag that actually helped... we stopped fighting, or whatever we were doing, and she leaned on me. She didn't say much, but it was different. And then after the funeral, it's been worse than before. She completely shut down and won't talk to anyone, not me or her dad or Sheila or Stacie."

"Maybe she needs to talk to a therapist or counselor or something," Aubrey suggested, trying to be helpful.

Chloe sighed, "The one time I suggested it, she interrupted me with a firm no and left the room. She's taking it really hard, not just because they were friends, but I think because it was too much of a reminder of what will happen if she doesn't win. And she's right, we would all be devastated. At this point, I don't know how to help her. God, I even sort of threatened to leave her..."

Aubrey's eyebrows rose in shock. "What?! Chloe, why would you do that?"

"Because I can't do this, Bree! I can't watch the love of my life give up and leave me all alone," Chloe's voice was a whisper by the time she finished, feeling the ache in her chest at the thought of Beca dying. "I lose either way. I could never actually leave her... I think I was hoping for a reaction, or I don't know, anything."

"You won't have to," Aubrey said, her voice not sounding very confident as she wrapped Chloe in another hug. "She's not going to die, Chlo."

Chloe hugged Aubrey back, no longer trying to hold back the tears. All the pent up emotions came pouring out, and Chloe was powerless to stop them. She cried out all the fear and frustration and anger at what had become of their relationship, wondering how it had been less than six months since the diagnosis. What had been the happiest time of her life was suddenly uprooted and flipped on its head, their relationship transforming from love and trust to secrecy and isolation. Chloe had felt more alone in the past two months than at any point in her single life, even after Beca had left for Nashville after graduation.

"Oh shit."

Chloe pulled back from Aubrey and looked at the door, furiously wiping at her eyes to see Tom standing there with an uncomfortable expression, as if he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Can we help you?" Aubrey's voice was sharp, letting him know he wasn't welcome.

Tom rubbed the back of his neck before taking a step forward and a deep breath. "Uh, yeah. Sorry for interrupting, I just... Chloe I wanted to apologize to you, for how I acted before. I meant to a while ago, but with all that's happened, it just never seemed like the right time. And, uh, I was sorry to hear about Beca... I hope she's doing okay," he said sincerely, his expression honest.

Chloe nodded, the words catching in her throat before she could verbally accept his apology. Swallowing hard, she said, "Thank you. I'm sorry... I just..." She trailed off as her hand came up to cover her mouth. Regaining some semblance of composure, she finished, "Thank you, that means a lot to me."

"Right, uh, well... let me know if there's anything I can do... as a friend," he said awkwardly, giving Aubrey a nod before turning and leaving the room.

Aubrey's stern expression didn't change, muttering, "For all that apology's worth now... dirtball."

Chloe gave her a weak smile, lightly saying, "Come on, Bree. Give the guy a break, he obviously felt bad."

"Yeah, because your girlfriend has cancer," Aubrey argued, not budging an inch. "Do you really think he would have apologized otherwise? What would Beca say?"

"Nothing since we aren't fucking speaking," Chloe shot back, her frustration getting the better of her. "I'm sorry," she said almost as quickly, giving Aubrey an apologetic look. "And yes, I'd like to think he would have apologized and that we could go on to be perfectly normal coworkers. And for that matter, do you realize you're defending Beca right now? Should I check outside for flying pigs?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes, huffing, "Don't be overly dramatic, I like Beca enough not to let some sleezeball lie his way back into your good graces. You're too nice sometimes, Chloe."

Chloe laughed, answering, "Really? You're telling me not to be too dramatic? And you know, I think people deserve second chances. What if Beca had never given me one?"

"She'd be holed up in her parents' house fighting cancer instead of the adorable little one you two bought," Aubrey reasoned, a sly smile appearing on her face. "Yelling at them and shutting them out instead of you, and you'd have hopefully moved on by now with that girl from my yoga class who thought you were super hot."

Chloe just shook her head at those thoughts. "Tom is not a bad guy, just like that girl from your yoga class was probably a very nice person. You can't help who you love."

"Obviously, or I wouldn't have ended up with Jesse," Aubrey retorted, her tone fond. "He's the definition of a man-child, but also adorable and sweet and he teaches kids to sing so... a girl could do worse."

"So much worse," Chloe nodded for emphasis.

They were silent for a moment, and Chloe let her thoughts wander back to Beca. "I don't know what I'll do if I lose her, Bree," she said quietly, feeling like bursting into tears all over again. "Watching her shut me out these past few months has been torture, but actually losing her..." She shook her head, not finishing the thought.

"You won't."

Chloe looked up at the surety in Aubrey's tone, wishing she felt as confident as the blonde sounded.

* * *

"Okay, good job today everyone! Make sure your lab stations are properly cleaned up and you're free to leave a little early to enjoy this beautiful fall day!"

Chloe smiled as her advanced students let out a cheer, dutifully following instructions as they began to clean up. She sat down behind her desk, half monitoring their actions and half thinking about her lesson plans for the following week. She had the weekend to herself since Beca was in LA for her sixth chemo cycle, accompanied by both of her parents this time and once again had insisted Chloe shouldn't miss an entire week of school.

It was a month into the school year and Chloe felt like she was on autopilot, simply going through the motions in a similar fashion to the year she and Beca spent apart. She felt more and more alone every day as Beca continued to isolate herself, in part due to the symptoms and side effects of her treatment. The brunette spent a majority of her time in bed over the past three weeks, occasionally feeling well enough to venture into the kitchen or living room.

They didn't talk much, keeping the conversation light, although Beca did ask her about school and her students fairly often. Chloe could see Beca was trying, but there was this barrier she wouldn't cross. She wouldn't talk to Chloe about how she felt or how the treatment was affecting her, instead changing the conversation to lighter topics.

Chloe wasn't sure what to make of the shift in their relationship, recognizing that Beca was making a more concerted effort to repair what was broken, but also understanding that she was still shutting her out of the intricacies of the cancer and treatment. She was happy that Beca was talking more and that they were spending more time together without fighting, but it still hurt that the brunette was keeping part of her life secret.

A few of her students approached her desk, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Ms. Beale?"

Chloe smiled at the three girls, asking, "What can I do for you ladies?"

"We just wanted to know if Beca's doing okay? And you know, if you're okay?"

Chloe's heart swelled at their sincere faces, giving them her best and most reassuring smile. "That's so sweet. Beca is in L.A. right now with her parents for another round of treatment, but we spoke last night and she sounded good. I'm here with you guys, so I'm awesome," she finished with a wink.

They looked a little doubtful, so she added, "Don't worry about me or Beca. She'll be feeling great before you know it and I just might convince her to do another concert at the school."

All three girls perked up at that thought, breaking into smiles.

"That'd be cool. Well, can you tell her she's awesome and we hope she gets better soon?"

Chloe nodded, glancing at the doorway as Dr. Williams entered and momentarily distracted her. "I'll tell her," she promised.

Dr. Williams cleared his throat, smiling at the students as he said, "Would you ladies mind giving me a moment with Ms. Beale?"

They quickly shook their heads and left the room, Chloe watching apprehensively as he shut the door behind them.

"How are you doing, Chloe? I know this year has been tough on you," he asked, moving to lean against a nearby counter, keeping his distance.

Chloe shrugged, not wanting to lie to her boss. "It's been challenging," she said hesitantly. "But Beca has been very supportive and insistent that I keep working. She knows I love my job."

"This is the second time I've approved you to take the week off only for you to turn up on Monday anyways," Dr. Williams commented, his tone neutral. "I don't mean to pry, but is everything alright? You know I've always had a soft spot for Beca... for some reason."

Chloe smiled, knowing that was true. "I just wanted to make sure I had the time off in case her parents couldn't go with her to L.A. for chemo. But they both went this time, and she told me I should stay here and let them wait on her. I think she just wanted to spend time with them."

Dr. Williams nodded, looking a little more convinced. "Well, I know they traveled a lot when she was in school, Sheila more than Ben. I'm sure she wishes it were under different circumstances, but I'm glad the three of them are getting to spend that time together. Chloe, please let me know if you need anything... a break, or time off... I'm sure this has been extremely difficult for you."

"I'm good, but thank you for the offer," Chloe answered gratefully. "I'll let you know if that changes."

He gave her a smile and nodded again, before wishing her a happy weekend as he left the room. Chloe sighed, sinking back down into her chair. Beca was due home Sunday evening, and she missed her despite the current rocky state of their relationship. It didn't matter that things weren't perfect between them, Chloe felt better just having Beca in the same house. Their communication might be lacking, but their connection was still just as strong as it had ever been for her. Beca's presence made her feel at home, even if it also made her annoyed and frustrated and hurt.

At the end of the day, Chloe knew she was all in... for better or worse... and the only thing she wanted right now was for Beca to come home.

* * *

Chloe smiled at the sound of Beca's ringtone, quickly grabbing her phone and answering the call. She wasn't surprised Beca didn't FaceTime her, knowing the brunette was growing more and more self-conscious of her reflection.

_"Hey Chlo."_

Chloe bit her lip at how weak Beca's voice sounded, wondering if maybe there was another reason she hadn't made a video call.

"Hey baby. How're you doing?" She asked, flinching a little at the question, knowing Beca was beyond sick of answering it.

_"Tired. Ready to come home."_

Beca's answer sent a little pang to her heart, sad that she was hurting, but also thrilled that she still thought of the house as home.

"I miss you too, Bec. Just one more treatment and tomorrow you'll be home. Are your dad and Sheila taking good care of you like they promised?"

Chloe wasn't expecting the silence on the other end at that question, following it up immediately. "Beca, what's wrong?"

Beca took a slow, deep breath, before finally admitting,  _"They fought tonight. Well, more like Sheila yelled at him."_

"About what?"

_"I don't want to talk about it, Chlo."_

Chloe sighed, having a good idea why. "Beca, this isn't your fault."

_"Like hell it isn't. They wouldn't be fighting if it wasn't for me and this stupid cancer."_

"Or they could be fighting about something totally different," Chloe argued playfully, keeping her voice light. "They're married, I'm sure they fight occasionally."

Beca remained silent, and Chloe felt her heart sink. Damnit, Ben and Sheila should know better than to fight about anything around Beca, but especially anything having to do with her or her cancer. Beca had seemed to be making some positive strides lately, but now Chloe was terrified she was going to dive back down into that hole she'd dug right after Blake passed away.

"Bec?" Chloe asked, her voice soft.

_"Yeah?"_

"Whatcha thinking?" She wasn't sure what terrified her more, hearing the truth or Beca refusing to answer at all.

There was a long moment of silence before Beca answered so quietly Chloe had to strain to hear it, her stomach dropping at her words.

_"That I want it all to be over."_

* * *

Chloe looked out of the front window for the tenth time in the past minute, anxiously waiting for Sheila's car to pull into their driveway. She'd been a wreck ever since hanging up the phone the previous night, Beca's words replaying over and over in her head. As much as she didn't want to believe it, the thought that the brunette had given up hung over her like her own personal rain cloud. Beca couldn't give up. She had promised Chloe a life and a future, something that she refused to visualize without the brunette by her side.

"Finally," Chloe breathed as Sheila pulled into the driveway.

The first thing she noticed was that Ben wasn't with them, which surprised her since she assumed they'd come straight here from the hospital. Chloe immediately went outside to greet them, taking Zeus' leash from Sheila while the blonde grabbed Beca's suitcase.

The brunette herself merely shuffled inside without acknowledging either of them, and Chloe raised an eyebrow at Sheila after Beca disappeared inside the house.

"I'll explain inside," Sheila sighed, leading the way to the front door.

Chloe nodded, letting Zeus sniff around for a minute or two before following her. Once inside the dog made a beeline for their bedroom, searching out Beca. Chloe heard the quiet thump of him jumping onto the bed, deciding to join Sheila on the couch instead of checking on her girlfriend.

"She's fine," Sheila affirmed her decision, glancing momentarily at the back of the house. "It's our fault... well, probably my fault. Ben was being... difficult, but I should have waited until we were home to address it. Beca heard us."

Chloe replied, "I know. She told me last night. What happened?"

* * *

_(Flashback, Sheila's POV)_

_Sheila gently closed the door to Beca's room, thankful she'd managed to fall asleep quickly after throwing up from her earlier treatment. She walked back out into the main room of the house, letting out a frustrated sigh when Ben was nowhere to be found._

_"Where the hell did he go this time," she muttered, moving swiftly into the kitchen with the intention of cooking something simple to eat._

_After a quick dinner of grilled cheese, something that was hard to mess up and she'd been quick to master, she settled onto the couch and turned on the television to wait for Ben. She was actually glad for his absence, knowing that she needed to calm down before their conversation._

_The door opened a few minutes later, which was not nearly long enough of a cool down period. Sheila stood up, eyeing him with her arms crossed over her chest._

_"Where were you?"_

_Ben frowned, answering, "I went for a walk. I needed to..."_

_Sheila cut him off, not waiting for an explanation, "You needed to what, Ben? Leave? Take a break? You've barely been present all week! Beca needs you, but you can barely stay in the room with her for five fucking minutes! What the hell is wrong with you?"_

_"Look, I'm doing the best I can," Ben said, a hint of anger in his tone. "You have no idea how hard this has been."_

_"I don't?!" Sheila glared at him, carefully constructing her next words. "I've been here the whole time, Benjamin. I've been the one rubbing her back when she throws up after chemo. I'm the one keeping her company in the treatment room, trying to take her mind off it on the rare occasion she'll talk to me. This has been hard for me too, you know."_

_At Ben's silence, she kept going. "And do you really expect me to feel sorry for you? That it's been hard on you? What about Beca, Ben? How hard to you think It's been for her? She needs you! You haven't once put forth even half of the effort she fights with every day!"_

_"What do you want me to say, Sheila?" He asked tiredly, looking around the room instead of meeting her eyes. "That I'm sorry? I'm sorry I'm not handling this better. I'm sorry that I have a hard time coming to terms that my daughter now has the same type of cancer my wife died from?"_

_Sheila argued back, "Well, talking to me about it would be a great place to start. You haven't let me in! You just carry this massive weight around instead of letting me help you. As hard as it's been watching Beca go through this, it's been harder to watch you completely shut me out."_

_Ben rubbed his face, finally dropping his hands to reveal an apologetic look. "I didn't mean to do that," he admitted, shifting awkwardly. "I'm doing the best I can."_

_Sheila felt her anger return at that, knowing it wasn't true. "Bullshit. The man I married, loves his daughter more than anything in the world. He wouldn't avoid her or hide from her, or stay in some ridiculous state of denial instead of accepting that she's sick! He's an incredible husband and father and someone who is far too strong to let fear run his life. That's the Benjamin Mitchell I married, so let me know when you find him... because I need that man. Beca needs that man to be her father right now... not whoever the hell you've become these last six months."_

* * *

Chloe couldn't help the shocked look on her face as Sheila recounted their fight, wondering how Ben had taken it.

Sheila must have read her mind, saying, "He said he had a lot to think about, so we dropped him off at home before coming here. How are you doing, Chloe?"

Chloe nervously looked around, her mind going back to Beca's words the other night. "I don't know," she finally said, choking up. "I think she's given up and I can't..."

To her surprise, Sheila only rolled her eyes and said, "Oh for Christ's sake. Enough!"

Before Chloe could stop her, the blonde stood up and marched off in the direction of the bedroom, tossing a, "Stay there," over her shoulder.

* * *

_(Beca's POV)_

Beca had just gotten settled in bed when Sheila strode purposefully through the open door, closing it forcefully behind her. Her eyebrows rose when her stepmom's stare intensified, wondering what could have possibly happened in the ten-ish minutes they'd been home.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sheila barked, crossing her arms as she waited for an answer.

Beca frowned, retorting, "Uh... you mean besides the cancer thing?"

"Funny," Sheila shot back, not laughing. "What would possess you to make Chloe think you've given up?"

Beca remained silent, wondering exactly what Chloe had told her. "What did she say?"

"What did you say?" Sheila asked immediately, and Beca cringed under her look.

"I, uh, I might have said something like... well, that I just wanted it all to be over," Beca admitted, before glaring back at the blonde. "What's so wrong about that? I do want this all to be over. I'm so fucking sick of being sick!"

Sheila didn't back down, shouting back, "Because it sounds like you want to die! Is that what you want?"

"I don't know!" Beca yelled back, losing control of her thoughts and emotions. "I want to stop hurting all the fucking time! You have no idea how much it hurts. Everything hurts. And no matter what happens I'm hurting everyone around me, which only magnifies it!"

"So you'll give up, just like that?" Sheila asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "You'll give up on all of us who love you and need you in our lives because it's hard?"

Beca stared at her, fighting back the tears. "That's not fair," she said weakly. "That's not fair and you know it."

Sheila raised her voice again, sharply, saying, "Life isn't fair, but that doesn't mean you just give up. You're a lot of things, kid, but you're not a quitter. And you don't need to worry so much about the rest of us... just focus getting better."

"Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to do that when it's breaking up your parents' marriage," Beca quipped, the sarcasm dripping from her tone. "This doesn't have to ruin everyone's life, but that's the road we're heading down. I can put a stop to all of it."

Sheila froze, looking at her curiously. "Is that where this is coming from? You think your dad and I are splitting up?"

Beca shrugged, answering, "Maybe not right away, but eventually... possibly. You weren't around last time. You have no idea how long it took, or how much effort it took for him to be normal again."

"And you think that you dying will prevent that process?" Sheila laughed, the sound coming out harsher than her usual joyful sound. "Kid, if you think that dying is going to save our marriage, you've lost your damn mind."

Beca stayed silent, meeting her stepmom's gaze.

"I yelled at your dad because he deserved it," Sheila said seriously, continuing, "And I'll do it as many times as I have to until he starts acting like the father you need him to be."

"And you'll yell at me until I get better? Is that how this is gonna work?" Beca muttered, shaking her head.

Sheila raised an eyebrow, retorting, "Hell yes, if that's what it takes. You're my kid! I get to yell at you when you're acting like a jackass! Which you are, Beca. The fact that you have someone out there like Chloe, who loves you and would literally do anything for you... and you're shutting her out?! And then you stop shutting her out only to tell her you want to die?! No, absolutely not. I don't care if it's the last thing you ever do, but you will apologize to her... am I clear?"

Beca shrunk back into her pillow, nodding in response.

"What was that?"

Beca sucked in a quick breath, immediately saying, "Yes! I will. I'm sorry..."

Sheila nodded, moving over to sit on the bed beside her. "Bec," she began, her tone suddenly soft. "Don't give up, please. I know it's hard, and I know it hurts, but you can do this. You just need to let us help you, and stop shutting everyone out. Are you going to make me beg?" Sheila finished, a teasing lilt to her voice.

Beca hesitated, before shaking her head. "No... I won't give up. And, I'll try to be better about the whole... talking thing. I just suck at it."

Sheila laughed quietly, saying, "You get that from your dad. Are we good, kid?"

Beca nodded as Sheila gripped her hand. "Yeah, we're good."

* * *

Beca wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at the door after Sheila left when it opened slowly. She felt completely drained, all the fight disappearing out of her at her stepmom's harsh words. It didn't matter how true they were, that she was shutting Chloe out... that she was starting to give up and break her promises. She couldn't help it, really, it was just so hard all the time.

She watched Chloe stand in the doorway, looking at her, knowing she'd heard everything said in the room. Beca sucked in a slow breath, closing her eyes briefly as a flash of pain hit her. When she opened them again, the first thing she noticed was the conflicting emotions on her girlfriend's face.

"You promised me."

Beca closed her eyes again at the pain and desperation in Chloe's voice, not wanting to see it etched on her face as well.

"You promised me, Beca!"

Beca opened her eyes again to see Chloe moving closer to her, the anger apparently winning over the concern that had shared her expression moments ago.

"I know," Beca said weakly, feeling smaller than she'd ever felt in her life. "It's not like I wanted any of this to happen. It hasn't been a lot of fun."

"You cut me out! You stopped letting me in... you... you stopped talking to me and telling me how you were doing!" Chloe accused, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I told you I would be there for you every step of the way, but you won't let me!"

Beca tried to muster up some energy. "It was hurting you! You were worried sick about me all the time and not sleeping! I'm not stupid, Chlo. I could see how this was affecting you, but you never talked to me either! Communication is a two-way street."

"So I was a little exhausted," Chloe argued. "That doesn't really compare to having fucking cancer. My problems were nothing compared to what you were... are going through."

"That's bullshit! And also part of the fucking problem," Beca threw the curse word back at her. "Our whole relationship became about me and my cancer! We're barely a couple anymore."

Chloe looked furiously at her. "And that's my fault? I'm sorry I treated you like you had cancer, but news flash Beca, you have cancer! And instead of letting me help you through it, or let your parents help you, you shut all of us out and confided in someone you barely knew! And now..."

"Don't," Beca warned her, not wanting to hear the words out loud.

Chloe continued on, knowing she needed to hear it. "Stacie told me what you said. Blake's gone, Beca. And it doesn't matter that you still have so many people who love you and need you, you're ready to give up because she's gone? That's bullshit! You don't have anyone to talk to? Anyone who understands? What about me, Beca? I love you more than anything on this Earth, but you can't talk to me?"

Beca felt the tears slide down her cheeks, her heart aching at hearing her name, but more so at the fact that she managed to hurt Chloe more than she ever thought possible. The person she also loved more than anything in the world, the person who'd been her rock for so long, the one she leaned on and depended on to have survived this long.

"I'm so sorry, Chlo," Beca said, wiping at her cheeks. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I heard you talking to Stacie about how this was affecting you, and you were gonna make yourself sick. When I met... her, she was so easy to talk to. She treated me like a normal person, not someone who was sick and needed to be babied all the time. I needed that!"

"Did you love her?" Chloe's voice broke again with the question, and Beca's eyes widened in horror.

"What?!"

Chloe stared at her, arms crossed over her chest. "I never said anything before because it was obvious she wasn't getting better, and also because I wasn't sure. But I need to know now, Beca. Were you in love with her? She obviously gave you something I couldn't."

Beca knew she needed to say something, but she was completely floored Chloe could possibly think that. She was so in love with Chloe that no one else looked even slightly appealing. She thought her heart couldn't possibly hurt anymore, but was once again proven wrong as she looked at the broken expression on her girlfriend's face.

"No! God, Chloe, no," Beca said, struggling to sit up straighter and wincing as her body protested. "Chlo, please, babe, I love you so much. You have to believe me, there's never been anyone else and there never will be."

"Then why can't you talk to me?" Chloe asked softly, moving to sit on the edge of her bed.

Beca reached over and took her hand, weakly holding on when she tried to pull away. "Chlo, I'm sorry. I could see how hard this was for you, and I thought it would be better if I didn't talk to you about the hard stuff. The depressing stuff... the pain and sadness and how fucking hard it is to feel like you're dying. It's awful and I didn't want to burden you with that. It's my burden, but it doesn't have to be yours too."

Chloe pulled her hand away, and Beca was unable to stop her. "That's what I signed up for, Bec. I'm here to help you shoulder that weight so you don't have to do it alone."

Beca shook her head, moving her hands up to cover her face. She wasn't feeling well, and wondered if the combination of Sheila and Chloe had pushed her past her limit. Chills ran through her body and she tried to hide the shivering, not wanting Chloe to see. Her girlfriend just stared at her for a minute, until she was unable to stop the shaking or keep her teeth from chattering.

"God, Beca, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you after Sheila came in and..." Chloe trailed off, moving off the bed to grab a blanket from the end. "What do you need, baby?"

Beca clung to the blanket, whispering, "Anything... I'm... I'm freezing."

She burrowed down into the blanket and turned her face into the pillow, praying the chills would end soon. In their closet, she heard the chest of drawers open and sucked in a breath, knowing Chloe would be back soon. After a couple of minutes, she forced herself to sit back up to see what was taking her girlfriend so long. She froze at the sight of Chloe standing a few feet away from her, fuzzy socks and a hoodie in one hand and a small black box in the other.

"Bec..." Chloe's voice trailed off hesitantly, looking at her.

Fuck. Chloe had found the ring. The one she'd stashed in her sock drawer after the diagnosis. The one she hadn't wanted Chloe to find until she had beaten this thing and was in remission. The one that was now sitting in the palm of her girlfriend's hand, creating a chasm between them the size of the Grand Canyon.

"Put it back," Beca said, wishing she had stayed silent when Chloe's eyes narrowed at her. She shivered violently as Chloe did the exact opposite, walking over to stand beside her to hand her the socks and hoodie.

Beca's hands shook as she pulled them on, but Chloe didn't offer to help. She was staring at the box like it was a bomb, which Beca figured was pretty accurate.

"Is it what I think it is?" Chloe asked quietly, finally meeting her eyes.

The chills subsided a bit, and Beca sighed, nodding her head yes.

Chloe looked at her for a moment, before asking, "How long have you had it?"

Knowing there was no going back now, Beca answered, "Since before I got diagnosed."

Chloe didn't say anything, instead moving to set the box carefully down on the nightstand. "Why didn't you... did you change your mind?"

Instinct took over and Beca rolled her eyes, retorting sarcastically, "Yeah, I decided I hate you and that we shouldn't ever get married, but I kept the ring because it's such a pain to return things these days."

"You're an idiot," Chloe mumbled with a shake of her head. "Why didn't you ever ask?"

Beca raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, I don't know, Chloe... maybe because I got diagnosed with fucking cancer, and I had a fifty percent chance of being dead within five years, and I wasn't going to put you in that position. You should have left me when you had the chance to avoid this whole shit show. You deserve so much better than this. Look at what this has done to us. We're not the same anymore, and I'm not getting better."

Chloe's eyes flickered to the box, before settling back on Beca's dark blue irises. "Do you still love me?"

Beca exhaled, studying her closely. "Of course I love you. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. But I'm not going to..."

"Marry me," Chloe breathed, taking Beca's hands in hers. "I love you so, so much. If you won't ask, then I will. I choose you, Bec, in sickness and in health. I can't imagine my life without you. I need you. Marry me."

Beca shook her head. "No. We both know where this is headed Chlo, and I'm not going to make a widow out of you. Don't do this."

Chloe leaned in and kissed her softly. "Remember that time I decided something for both of us, and it fucked up our whole relationship? Our lives? Don't do that, Bec. Don't make a decision for me. Do you love me?"

Beca glanced down, refusing to answer.

"Bec, do you love me?"

Beca looked up into her eyes, whispering, "Of course I love you."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?" Chloe asked, moving a hand to cup her jaw.

" Chlo..."

"God you're infuriating. Answer the question, Mitchell."

Beca sighed, finally saying, "Yes. I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."

"Then marry me. Please, Bec, marry me," Chloe murmured, repeating it again when she took too long to answer. "Marry me?"

Beca searched her gaze for any hesitation and found none. "Okay," she whispered, still unsure it was the right thing to do.

Chloe beamed at her, tears running down her cheeks. "Yes?"

Beca nodded, breaking into a smile. "Yes," she said, her hands coming up to pull Chloe in for another kiss.

"I love you," Chloe whispered against her lips, kissing her again.

Beca grinned, leaning back a fraction to look at her fiance. "You just asked me to marry you. Stole my thunder right out from under me."

Chloe nodded, winking at her. "You took too long, but if it'll make you feel better, I can get under you later."

"Deal," Beca answered, reaching over for the box. "But I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Beca grinned as Chloe's breath hitched when she opened the box, revealing the ring she designed what felt like a lifetime ago.

"Holy shit, Beca," Chloe mumbled, her hands coming up to cover her mouth.

Beca winked back at her, grabbing the flash drive that tumbled onto the bed before carefully removing the ring and slipped it onto Chloe's finger. Thanks to inside information from Grace it was a perfect fit, and Chloe started to cry again as she inspected it closely.

"Bec, it's gorgeous," Chloe sighed, looking carefully at all the details. "What are the music notes?"

Beca smirked, reaching over to the other side of the bed and tugged her laptop over. She opened it up and plugged the flash drive in, clicking open the single audio file.

"They go to this song I wrote you," Beca explained, pressing play. "I was going to sing it for you or something when I proposed, but seeing as my hands can barely hold my toothbrush these days, this will have to do."

Chloe slid onto the bed beside her as the music started to play, wrapping her arm around the brunette as Beca's voice filled the room, strong and pure.

"It's from before I got sick," Beca mumbled, only to fall silent as Chloe shushed her to hear the words.

 _I was a boat stuck in a bottle_  
_That never got the chance to touch the sea_  
_Just forgot on the shelf, no wind in the sails_  
_Going nowhere with no one but me_  
_I was one in one-hundred billion_  
_A burned out star in a galaxy_  
_Just lost in the sky, wondering why_  
_Everyone else shines out but me_

_But_

_I came to life when I first kissed you_  
_The best me has her arms around you_  
_You make me better than I was before_  
_Thank God I'm yours_

Beca smiled weakly as more tears ran down Chloe's face, and reached up to gently wipe them away as the second verse played. Chloe leaned in and kissed her again, leaving her forehead resting against Beca's when the chorus came back around.

 _I came to life when I first kissed you_  
_The best me has her arms around you_  
_You make me better than I was before_  
_Thank God I'm yours_

 _The worst me is just a long gone memory_  
_You put a new heartbeat inside of me_  
_You make me better than I was before_  
_Thank God I'm yours_

"I love you so much, Chlo," Beca murmured, kissing her again. "No one will ever love you as much as I do... or at least tell you so eloquently in song," she joked. Turning serious, she said, "I'm yours, Chlo. I always have been, and always will be, for as long as you'll have me."

Chloe smiled and leaned in for another kiss. "Forever. I want you forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, the first thanks goes out to my beta Arsto, who beta'd this chapter super last minute when I decided to make massive changes... 'cause I'm needy and impulsive like that.
> 
> Thanks to all the readers who suffered through along with us for the past 5-6 chapters! I don't know about you guys, but I needed some fluff... like STAT.
> 
> Cheers!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday!
> 
> So I'll be honest guys, it's been a struggle to get these last couple chapters out. I actually finished this one about thirty minutes ago, so here's the official heads up that I might need a little longer than a week between chapters. This story has been really tough to write lately, even though we're approaching the end. Thanks for your patience and understanding!

* * *

"Wait, what?" Beca's head shot up to look at Chloe.

Chloe rolled her eyes, saying, "What do you mean, what? I invited your parents over for dinner on Friday. It's gorgeous outside... we can eat out on the deck."

Beca shook her head, mumbling, "Yes, because where we would all fit was clearly my primary concern. You know Friday is tomorrow, right?"

Chloe chuckled and moved out of the kitchen to where she was seated at the small table, wrapping her in a hug from behind. "Yes, I'm aware. Don't worry, it'll be fine. Sheila said your dad is looking forward to it."

"Wait, when did you invite them?" Beca asked curiously.

"A few days ago," Chloe shrugged innocently, walking back into the kitchen to retrieve her coffee cup. "I mean, we have to tell them at some point."

Beca huffed, knowing her girlfriend was right. They hadn't broken the news of their engagement to anyone yet, wanting to figure out the right way to announce it. Beca had bit her lip to keep from laughing at Chloe's expression when she had to take off the ring, putting it safely in the box until they were ready to tell everyone.

"It was your idea to wait," Beca pointed out. "I would have Instagrammed that shit immediately."

Chloe replied, "Yes, I know. I just thought at least your parents and my parents deserved to know by some other means than a social media post or a gossip magazine."

Beca agreed, "Yes, that's fine. But we could have just called them."

"Also true, except someone is forgetting about how they passed out before I could even hear my song a second time," Chloe pointed out with a smile.

"Yeah, well..." Beca stuttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "I've heard it so many times already that I'm sick of it," she said unconvincingly.

Chloe laughed, "You're the worst liar ever. At least that hasn't changed."

"Whatever. See if I write you anymore songs if this is what I get," Beca grumbled, pushing her chair back from the table. "I think I'm up for a shower this morning."

Chloe set her cup down and walked back over to Beca before she could rise from her chair, slowly straddling her lap. "Never stop writing me songs," she murmured, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Beca smiled up at her, resting her hands on Chloe's hips. "Well, when you ask like that, how can I say no?"

"You can't," Chloe replied, dropping another kiss on her lips before stepping back and helping her stand up. "Want some company in that shower?"

Beca hesitated a little too long, reaching out for Chloe's hand as her expression dropped. "Hey, Chlo, no... of course I want to..." She trailed off, knowing she couldn't give Chloe what she wanted.

Their lacking sex life and the effect it had on her girlfriend was never more obvious to Beca than it had been over the last few days since their engagement. As much as she tried to hide it, Beca recognized the overly affectionate touches and the looks Chloe would send her way on the occasion the brunette caught her staring. She knew Chloe missed that physical connection between them a lot, and it was even more frustrating to her that she didn't feel the same way. Knowing that it was a side effect of her treatment did nothing to stem the frustration, and Beca had been carefully dodging the subject.

It was only logical that Chloe would want to celebrate their engagement in a more physical way, and it made Beca second guess her decision to say yes. She was already disappointing her fiance and it hadn't even been a week. There had been a few blissful hours of snuggling in bed and tossing out ridiculous ideas for their wedding before eventually the reality of the situation came crashing down around them. Getting engaged wasn't going to magically fix the major problems that had developed in their relationship over the past six months, but they were both committed to changing and focusing on communicating better and being more open with each other.

"Bec... I, I didn't mean it like that," Chloe said quietly. "I know you're not feeling... uh, I mean I know that it's not you..." Chloe sighed, taking another step back and running her fingers through her hair. "I just want to be close to you."

Beca moved closer and gently took Chloe's hand again. "I know. I'm sorry, Chlo. I know you need it and I'm so sorry I can't give it to you," she whispered, feeling worse by the second.

Chloe quickly shook her head, saying, "No, Bec, I don't. I just need you, okay? And besides, we'll get to have sex for the rest of our lives after you kick this stupid cancer."

Beca smiled weakly at the positive tone in her voice. "Okay," she agreed, trying to channel Chloe's optimism. "And uh, yeah... I'd like some company."

* * *

Beca wrapped the comfy cardigan more snugly around her body as she wandered into the kitchen to see what Chloe was cooking for dinner. The delicious aroma of sauce and cheese and garlic bread hit her nose, humming happily and alerting her girlfriend to her presence.

"Smells good, babe," Beca said, moving closer for a hug.

Chloe smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm glad. You need to eat more."

Beca shrugged, moving around the kitchen to take a seat at the bar. "I'm trying."

Chloe nodded, an understanding look on her face, and Beca knew she didn't need to explain herself. The combination of the chemo and cancer and the constant sores developing inside her mouth made eating a chore. The exception so far was ice cream, but Chloe refused to let her replace her three square meals a day with dessert. The truth was that most of the time, Beca just flat out wasn't hungry enough to tackle the battle that was eating.

"When are they getting here?" Beca asked, changing the subject.

"Any minute," Chloe replied, grabbing plates out of a cabinet and moving towards the open back door. "Want to help me set the table?"

Beca nodded, moving to pull silverware out of a drawer. It was a beautiful evening, and Beca was glad they were eating outside. The fresh air would be good for her, and it wasn't too hot. They finished the task in comfortable silence, both looking up at the knock on the door just as Chloe finished putting a glass at each place setting.

"Can you let them in, Bec?" Chloe asked as they walked back inside, moving to pull the lasagna out of the oven. "I'm just about finished here."

"Sure," Beca answered, walking slowly over to where Zeus was waiting impatiently by the door. She debated grabbing onto his collar, but ultimately knew that would probably end with her on the floor when he started to jump.

Cracking the door open, she said quickly, "Watch out for Zeus. Chlo's in the kitchen, and I can't really hold him back."

Ben waited for her to step back before opening the door, quickly catching Zeus' collar and dragging him away so Sheila could enter behind him. It only took a few seconds for him to calm down, recognizing her parents.

Beca gave them both a hug, stepping back as Chloe approached from the kitchen.

"Hi Ben, Sheila," she greeted, giving them both a hug.

Ben offered her the bouquet of flowers in his other hand.

"These are for you, Chloe," Ben said kindly, hugging her back.

"And we brought wine," Sheila chimed in, handing Beca the bottle. "Not that you can have any, kid."

Beca scoffed at her words, retorting, "Just rub it in, why dontcha."

"Thank you! That's so sweet of you," Chloe blushed, taking the flowers from Ben. "They're gorgeous... let me put them in some water."

Beca led the way to the deck, Chloe following moments later with a steaming pan of lasagna. Zeus followed at her heels until Beca banished him to his outside doggy bed in the corner of the deck. Chloe pulled a corkscrew out of her back pocket and proceeded to open the wine, winking at Beca's curious look.

"Do you carry one of those around with you now?" Beca joked. "Have I driven you to drink?"

Chloe didn't bat an eye, responding, "No, it's just in case I need to screw your head back on straight."

Sheila laughed as Beca grumbled, "Touche, Beale."

Chloe poured glasses for herself and Beca's parents while Ben served up the lasagna onto each of their plates. After the salad and garlic bread had been passed around the table, they sat in a slightly uncomfortable moment of silence as both Sheila and Chloe looked expectantly at Ben. Beca frowned as she looked back and forth between Chloe and her parents, finally speaking up.

"Okay, what am I missing?"

Ben sighed when neither Chloe or Sheila responded. "Bec, I need to apologize to you. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you the way you needed me to."

"Dad," Beca interrupted him, sitting up a little in her chair. "It's okay. I get it. I mean, It's been hard on all of us, but I'd rather move forward than focus on what we did wrong over the past six months."

"Well... uh, alright then," Ben said, glancing at his wife. "I guess I just want you to know that I'm going to do better from now on."

Beca smiled at him, replying, "Yeah, me too. I haven't been doing so well myself lately, but I'm really going to try to change that. See..." She paused, looking over at Chloe for permission. When the redhead smiled and nodded, she continued, "I'd really like to stick around long enough to meet Chloe at the end of the aisle.

Sheila gasped as Ben's eyes widened, looking back and forth between them. "What?" He stuttered out.

Beca grinned at their reactions. "Well, Chloe asked me to marry her, and I said yes."

After a few more seconds of stunned silence, they broke into happy smiles.

"That's wonderful, kid," Sheila said, standing up and moving to give her a hug.

Ben nodded, his smile growing wider. "I'll admit the timing is... interesting, but I think we all knew this day would come eventually. You two have never done things the normal way, so why should this be any different. Congratulations," he finished, giving Chloe a hug and then trading places with Sheila.

"Thank you," Chloe blushed, returning both hugs.

When everyone was finally seated again, Chloe said, "Well, let's eat before it gets cold."

Sheila ignored her as Ben and Beca started to eat. "I want details. Someone start talking."

Beca glanced at Chloe through a mouthful of lasagna, but Chloe only shook her head and started eating herself. She swallowed and wiped her mouth, realizing Chloe wanted her to tell the story.

"Well, it's pretty simple actually," Beca answered. "You yelled at me, then Chloe came in and yelled at me, and then I got cold, so Chloe snooped around in my drawers under the pretense of finding me something to wear and found the ring I'd designed for her months ago."

"I did not snoop through your drawers!" Chloe shot back, her voice incredulous. "You were shivering like you were about to get hypothermia and I thought your fuzzy socks would help!"

Beca pointed a finger at her. "Hey, I'm telling the story. You had your chance, so zip it."

She smirked at the way Chloe's eyes narrowed, waiting for the redhead to cross her arms over her chest and mutter, "Fine. Go on."

"Thank you. As I was saying," Beca continued, "After Chloe found the ring, she grilled me some more, then she proposed. I said no, she proposed again, I said no again, and then she begged until I gave in and agreed to marry her."

Chloe rolled her eyes, commenting, "That's not how I remember it. I think your chemo brain affected your memory."

Beca shook her head, replying, "Low blow, Beale. You know I'm sensitive about my cancer and treatment. And you didn't want to tell the story."

Ben watched the two go back and forth with a smile until Sheila cut in. "Chloe, tell me what really happened, please. We'll never get the truth out of this one."

"Yes, Chloe, please tell us," Beca winked, fighting back her urge to laugh.

"Fine," Chloe said, setting her fork down and looking at Sheila. "So yes, I yelled at her a bit after you left, and yes, she got cold and asked me to get her something to help, and yes I found the ring in her sock drawer and confronted her about it. I proposed and she was spouting some nonsense about making me a widow, and I told her that I loved her and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I asked her to marry me and she said yes. And then she played me the most romantic song I've ever heard that she wrote just for me and it was amazing. Then we decided not to announce it until we told our families, and her we are telling you guys first."

"Aw, Beca, you wrote her a song?" Sheila cooed, looking over at the brunette who was no longer smirking.

"Of course I wrote her a song," Beca scoffed. "It's kinda what I do."

Ben commented, "I figured you'd be the one to propose, Bec. You had the ring... so what changed your mind?"

"Cancer," Beca answered, as though it was obvious. "But she's determined to marry me, and I'd be a fool to pass up that chance," she added, smiling at Chloe.

Ben nodded, turning his gaze on Chloe. "I'd have to agree, despite the fact she didn't ask me for permission."

Beca chuckled at his serious expression and the way Chloe's face turned guilty.

"Well, it was kinda spur of the moment," Chloe explained, looking over at Beca. "Oh, shut up, it's not like you got my dad's permission either."

Beca raised an eyebrow, before saying, "True, I didn't get his permission. But I did happen to get both his and Grace's blessing when I visited them last year during my tour."

Chloe's jaw dropped, and Beca laughed at her stunned expression. "Come on, Beale. You didn't actually think I would go buy a ring without asking for your parents' blessing, did you? You're all southern and somewhat traditional and your family is super southern and traditional. Plus, I thought it would mean a lot to them and to you."

Chloe simply rose from her chair and stepped closer to kiss her softly. "I love you so much," she whispered.

"I love you too," Beca murmured, her hands pulling Chloe's face back down to her lips before releasing her. "Now quit making out with me in front of my parents... even if you are my fiance."

Chloe laughed, returning to her seat.

Sheila was wiping at her eye with her napkin and Ben was wearing an expression of pure contentment when Beca looked back at them. "You two are even sappier than my fiance," she quipped, glancing from one to the other.

"I'm just happy you're happy, Bec," her dad said finally, digging back into his dinner. "And Chloe, I couldn't be happier at the thought of having you as a daughter-in-law. You've so clearly shown how much you love my daughter, and that's all a father can ask for. If you guys can make it through this, you can make it through anything."

"Thank you Ben," Chloe answered, the light blush returning to her cheeks.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Beca said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the small box. "I can give this back to you now," she finished, pulling the ring out and slipping it into Chloe's finger.

Sheila let out a shriek of either happiness or approval or both, flying out of her chair around the table for a closer look.

Ben chuckled, saying, "Well, Becs, based on that you must have done something right."

"Beca! This is stunning!" Sheila exclaimed, as Chloe told her about the ring.

Beca rolled her eyes, scoffing, "Don't sound so surprised, Stepmonster. I have excellent taste."

Chloe beamed at her, before going back to staring lovingly at her ring. "It's perfect. I love it."

Sheila nodded in agreement. "It is," she confirmed, making her way back to her seat. "Didn't think you had it in you, kid. Did you go alone?"

Beca shrugged, answering, "Stacie was there, too... but only for moral support!" She added quickly, not letting anyone else take credit for the ring. "I designed it myself without any help."

"And you did an amazing job, baby," Chloe gushed, shooting her a wink.

"Damn right," Beca muttered, inching her chair a little closer to the table.

The rest of dinner passed with lighthearted chatter and jokes, mostly between Beca and Sheila. Afterwards, Chloe and Sheila insisted on cleaning up while Ben helped Beca into the living room to the couch.

"You okay, Bec?" He asked as she got settled, spreading a blanket over her lap.

She nodded, answering, "Yeah, I'm good."

The truth was that she was feeling tired, but the evening was going so well she didn't want it to end yet. She'd also promised Chloe they would FaceTime with her parents after Ben and Sheila left to tell them the good news.

Ben sat down beside her and gave her a quick hug. "I'm so happy for you, Bec. And I'm proud of how you've handled everything so far. I know it hasn't been easy and you haven't been perfect, but cancer doesn't play by the rules and sometimes you can't control how you react. Just know that I love you and I'm sorry for how I reacted at times."

Beca nodded, pressing closer to her father. "I know, dad. I know it was hard for you... especially after everything that happened with mom. I didn't even want to tell you..."

"Of course you should have told me," Ben laughed. "I should have handled it better. You did the right thing. I was wrong. And as for your mother, well, she fought as hard and as long as anyone could have asked her to. I know you were probably too young to remember the details, but Beca she fought so hard for you."

Beca sniffled as tears filled her eyes at her dad's words. "I know she fought for a long time."

Ben gave her a sad smile, saying, "Almost three years."

"What?" Beca asked, leaning back to look up at him. "I thought it was less than two."

"No, it was one month shy of three years," Ben replied, slightly frowning. "The treatment worked at first, and you were so young we didn't tell you since she was getting better. Then the treatment stopped working and eventually we told you... because we couldn't hide it anymore. But Beca, you should know that she loved you more than anything and would be so, so proud of you."

Beca felt a tear fall down her cheek, wondering how different things would have been if the treatment had worked. She only had vague memories of her mom by now, and the idea of her life without Sheila wasn't really a thought she wanted to entertain. Her thoughts distracted her from her dad pulling out a small box from his pocket.

"I was recently going through some old stuff in the attic and I found this," Ben said awkwardly, offering her the box. "I think you should have it."

Beca took it from him and slowly opened it to reveal a necklace, recognizing the charm instantly as one her mom was wearing in many old photographs. "Was... was this..."

"It was your mom's," Ben confirmed. "She loved it. Wore it all the time."

Beca carefully traced the silver charm, finally asking, "Did she ever say why she picked a coda?"

Ben took a slow breath, before answering, "She used to always say that endings are the best part."

Beca rolled her eyes, musing, "Not in real life. Not in mine, anyways."

"Bec, when something ends, it paves the way for something else to begin," Ben said gently. "I loved your mom so much, but if our time hadn't ended, I never would have the life I have now with Sheila, whom I also love very much."

Beca stayed silent as her dad voiced out loud the thoughts she was having moments ago. "I guess if Chloe hadn't broken up with me after graduation, I might never have gotten the chance to record and tour and produce music," she finally admitted, looking up at him.

She took another moment to trace the charm before handing the necklace back to her dad. "Can you put it on me?" She asked, knowing her hands probably wouldn't be able to navigate the small clasp.

Ben nodded, taking the two sides and easily hooking them together around her neck.

Beca sighed and gripped the coda again, looking back up at him. "Maybe this will be my good luck charm that ends my cancer so I can begin a new life with Chloe."

Ben smiled, and hugged her again. "I think that sounds like a plan. I love you, Bec."

"Love you too, dad."

* * *

"Do we have to?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, responding emphatically, "Yes! We have to tell my mother before I post this rock on Instagram. Plus, I really want to, Becs."

Beca nodded, sucking in a slow breath and sitting up a little more against the pillows propping her against their headboard. "No, yeah, you're right. Come here."

Chloe paused, studying her for a minute. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Beca said a little too quickly.

"Beca..." Chloe's tone was full of warning.

Beca sighed, looking down at her hands. "I'm just a little tired. It was a long evening, but I can sit in bed and talk to your mom for a few minutes, Chlo. I promise."

Chloe hesitated another minute, before sliding into bed next to her, wrapping an arm around her. "We'll hang up the minute you need to, okay?"

"Deal," Beca smiled, inching a little closer into Chloe's warm embrace. "Okay, do it."

"That's what she said," Chloe quipped, pressing a kiss to her cheek before pulling her phone out.

Beca just shook her head, despite the grin spreading across her lips. A few moments later the high-pitched beeping rang out across the room as they waited for Grace to answer. Suddenly the beeping cut off as Grace's face appeared on the phone, her smile growing wider when they came into view on her end.

_"Chloe! Oh, and Beca's there, too! How are you honey?"_

Chloe chuckled, saying, "Fine mom..."

_"Chloe, I was asking Beca!"_  Grace interrupted, as if Chloe should have known that.

Beca smirked at her girlfriends slightly offended look, answering, "I'm good, Grace, thanks for asking. How are you?"

_"Fine, dear, just fine. You look wonderful,"_  Grace replied.  _"Chloe, you look tired. Are you taking care of yourself?"_

Chloe huffed, "Love you too, mom. And yes, I'm taking care of myself."

Beca chimed in, "I'm taking care of her, too. And Zeus."

Grace beamed at her through the phone, ignoring Chloe's snort of disbelief.  _"So what's new? Give me the latest news on school, and your treatment Beca? Still going well?"_

Beca nodded, smoothly lying,  _"Of course. I'm doing great. We go back to the doctor next week actually."_

She could feel Chloe's eyes burning into the side of her head, but kept her face happy as Grace nodded her approval.

_"You just keep fighting, Beca. We're all praying for you here."_

Chloe stepped in, changing the subject. "Mom, actually there's a reason why we're calling tonight. We have something to tell you."

Grace's expression turned curious, though she waited patiently for them to spill the news.

Chloe couldn't hold back anymore, and grinned as she exclaimed, "We're engaged!"

Grace let out an excited squeal that reminded Beca far too much of her redheaded fiance, as Chloe held her hand up to the camera so her mom could see the ring.

_"Oh my goodness, Beca, that ring is gorgeous! Oh, I'm so happy for both of you!"_  Grace said, clapping her hands together.  _"What a shame your father isn't here... I know he'd be thrilled as well."_

Chloe's grin was ear to ear as she said, "I'll see him in a few weeks at Ollie's wedding. And yeah, she did pretty good with the ring."

Beca's cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling, and she felt her eyes getting heavy. She let out a slow breath and leaned her head onto Chloe's shoulder.

"Baby, are you okay?" Chloe stopped chattering away with Grace and shot her a concerned look.

"Mm hmm, just tired. You guys keep chatting... I'm just gonna take a nap," Beca murmured.

Chloe shook her head, turning back to the screen. "Hey mom, Beca's pretty worn out. We told her parents over dinner tonight. How about I call you tomorrow and tell you everything?"

Less than a minute later Chloe was slipping back into bed after shutting off their bedroom lights, snuggling closer to her under the covers.

"You didn't have to hang up, babe," Beca muttered.

Chloe shushed her and pressed a kiss to her cheek, holding her close until they both fell asleep.

* * *

Beca fought back a yawn as the nurse finished drawing blood for the CBC, shooting Chloe a sleepy smile. Once she was finished, the woman flushed her port and left to deliver the samples, leaving them alone momentarily.

"You're getting way too comfortable with all this if you can almost fall asleep while getting blood drawn," Chloe commented, shaking her head.

Beca shrugged, answering, "I barely even notice when someone sticks a needle in me. Except this biopsy shit... that needle is fucking massive."

"True," Chloe agreed, deciding not to say anything more on the subject knowing Beca hated having it done.

"At least it's not very often," Beca sighed, before adding, "And at least I don't have to go straight to chemo afterwards this time."

Chloe smiled, "Also true, baby. Keep up that positive thinking."

Beca hummed, finally replying, "Yeah, well, looks like your eternal optimism is finally rubbing off." She chuckled at her girlfriend's raised eyebrow, but the door opened before either of them could comment further.

The nurse stepped into the room first holding a tray of instruments, with Dr. Morris following behind her giving them both a smile.

"Hello Beca, Chloe," he greeted them. "How are we doing today?"

Beca returned his smile, saying, "Great, doc. This is my favorite part, you know."

"I'm not surprised," he fired back, not missing her sarcasm. "Many of my patients look forward to their biopsy's."

"Really..." Beca's voice trailed off, calling him on his bluff.

Dr. Morris laughed, answering, "No, of course not. But it's very useful information, and most of them are just being babies about it anyways. Are you going to give me a hard time?"

"Nope, just get it over with," Beca answered, still grinning from his answer as she rolled onto her side and adjusted her gown to reveal her hip, reaching for Chloe's.

Chloe quickly stepped closer, tentatively reaching out and letting Beca grip her hand as he gave her the shot to help with the pain.

Beca noticed, observant as ever and desperate for any distraction from the biopsy, and asked, "Everything okay, babe?"

Chloe nodded sheepishly, admitting, "Yeah, Bec... just last time you... it felt like you were going to break my fingers. But it's fine, don't worry about me, this is about you and what you need."

Beca frowned and tried to let go of her hand, but Chloe held on firmly. "Chlo, I don't want to hurt you. I can just hold onto... I don't know, something else."

"Oh my God, Bec, stop it. I shouldn't have said anything," Chloe brushed her off, holding her hand tighter. "I love you and you can break my hand now because I assure you when we have kids I'll return the favor."

Beca's eyes widened at that thought, looking up into Chloe's playful expression. "Uh... yeah, right," she stuttered, now using her girlfriend's hand to ground herself in the present moment. "Okay, doc, I'm ready."

Dr. Morris nodded, taking his small scalpel without another word and made the small incision. Beca cringed as he held gauze up to it for a moment, before taking the smaller syringe to draw out the fluid for the aspiration.

"Try to relax, Beca," he said softly, his voice calm. "Focus on Chloe and those kids you two are gonna have one day."

Beca breathed in a slow breath, looking up into Chloe's face before closing her eyes in pain as he inserted the needle. It was really more discomfort with this part, and she opened them again to give Chloe a weak smile.

"I love you," she said, giving her hand a small squeeze.

Chloe smiled back at her, saying, "I love you too, baby. You're doing so good."

Beca sucked in a breath as he removed the first needle, breathing out, "That was the easy part. Now comes the break your hand part."

Dr. Morris paused with the larger needle and syringe in hand, giving them a slightly guilty look. "Yeah, she's right," he admitted. "Okay, almost done, Beca."

Beca nodded, gripping Chloe's hand and squeezing tightly at the sharper pain that came with the larger needle, her eyes closed. Neither of them spoke until he withdrew the needle and placed another patch of gauze over the incision.

"Excellent, Beca. All done," he finally said, placing the syringe carefully on the tray for the nurse to handle.

Beca breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes open once again as she let go of Chloe's hand. "Doc, I'm gonna need you to cure me up a little faster so I don't have to do that anymore."

"Well, in a few days we'll have a much better idea of where we are at the six month mark, "Dr. Morris replied, making a few notes on his tablet. "I'm optimistic that the results will be good, and we'll be having a very different conversation than most of our previous ones."

Beca nodded, saying, "I hope so. This whole cancer thing has been fun and all, but I'm ready to get off this ride."

"Well, in a few days I might be showing you to the exit," he replied optimistically, before leaving the room.

* * *

"This is like déjà vu," Beca said, looking around the doctor's office.

They were waiting for the doctor to go over Beca's latest test results, in similar fashion to the way things had played out three months earlier. They hadn't gotten the news they were hoping for, but it had still been relatively positive, and Beca was hoping that today was the day the light appeared at the end of the tunnel.

Deciding a distraction was in order, she looked at Chloe and asked, "When do you want to get hitched?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, replying, "Well when you put it that way why wait? Let's just run off to Vegas tonight."

"I was thinking we'd wait a little... maybe until I'm better," Beca replied casually.

Chloe didn't answer right away, and Beca frowned after a few minutes. "Chlo?"

"I don't want to wait," Chloe rushed out, looking nervously at her. "I just... I want to marry you, Bec. I don't want to wait."

Beca sighed, replying, "Why don't we see what the doc says? Maybe we won't have to worry about it."

Chloe stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I think that's fair."

Beca looked away at the tall bookshelf packed with texts ranging from medical textbooks and journals to The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Roger Martin's series for which Game of Thrones was based off.

"Interesting guy," Beca commented, gesturing at the bookshelf.

Chloe followed her gaze, replying, "He seems to have many interests. Think he watches Game of Thrones?"

"One way to find out," Beca quipped back as the door opened and Dr. Morris entered, moving quickly to sit behind his desk. "Let's have it, doc... do you watch Game of Thrones?"

He looked surprised at the question, before a glance at his bookshelf helped him catch up. "Ah, been snooping have we?" He said, artfully dodging her question.

Beca smirked, "That's not an answer, so I'll have to assume you're the biggest fan ever. It's cool, I could get down with a Khaleesi or..."

Chloe's smack to her thigh cut her off, and Beca grinned and shot her a playful look. "What, you don't want to be my Khaleesi?"

"Your cancer card will only get you so far, Mitchell," Chloe warned, though there was a teasing glint in her eye.

Dr. Morris chose that moment to cut in, saying, "Yes, Beca, I'm afraid she's right about that."

They both froze, the office suddenly drowning in silence as they turned to face his amused expression.

"What does that mean?" Beca asked slowly.

Dr. Morris clicked a few times on his screen, taking what seemed like an eternity before finally answering, "Well, according to your latest test results Beca, you're going to have to find another card to play when you want something from Chloe. It seems the cancer one might have to go to the bottom of the deck."

When neither of them made a sound, Dr. Morris' face turned curious as he clarified his meaning.

"Beca... you're in remission. Well, technically partial remission..."

His voice faded out as Beca tried to fully process his words. Remission... she was getting better. The treatment was working! Her thoughts came thick and fast and somewhere she registered that the doctor was still speaking, but her only thought at the moment was Chloe. Everything they'd been through over the past six-ish months hit her all at once, combined with the fact that she wasn't going to die. At least she was pretty sure that's what the doctor was trying to explain to them.

Beca turned suddenly to the side to see tears pouring down Chloe's face as she silently cried with her hands covering her mouth. It was almost a mirror image of when they'd found out Beca had cancer, except she knew this time they were tears of joy.

Beca stood up and pulled Chloe into a hug, feeling the redhead's arms wrap tightly around her as she cried into her neck.

"I love you so much, Chlo," Beca murmured. "I told you I wasn't going anywhere."

* * *

Beca laced her fingers through Chloe's, sitting up a little straighter in the passenger seat. They'd had a lengthy discussion with Dr. Morris about how he wanted to pull back on Beca's treatment to let her body continue to heal and make positive strides forward, and they were currently sitting in the driveway of her parents home to tell them the good news.

She found herself hesitating again to leave the car, much the same as she'd dragged her feet on telling them the bad news the first time around. It was interesting to her how similar her reactions and instincts were this time compared to when she found out she had cancer, although obviously with completely different motivations. Beca was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that the treatment had worked, and while the cancer would never be fully gone from her body, Dr. Morris had explained that her levels were almost within a normal range.

"What are you thinking, Bec?" Chloe asked gently, knowing they hadn't really had time to process everything net.

Beca didn't answer right away, taking her time to mull over her thoughts. "Everything and nothing," she finally said, giving her fiance a smile. "It's really weird. Like I keep thinking back over what he said, but it hasn't fully sunk in yet."

Chloe gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "That's okay. It took time to process your diagnosis and it'll take some time to process this too. At least this is happy news."

"Yes, it is," Beca agreed, smiling at her. "Let's go tell my parents."

She let go of Chloe's hand as they exited the car, falling into step side by side as they walked to the front door. They made the familiar march up to the front door, pausing for a moment until Beca reached out and rang the doorbell.

It was Ben who answered the door this time, breaking into a hesitant smile at the sight of them standing on the front porch.

"Bec, Chloe," he said, stepping back and inviting them inside with an outstretched hand. "Come in."

Beca led the way, walking inside first and letting Chloe follow her. She gave her dad a quick hug, asking, "Where's Sheila?"

Ben hugged Chloe before giving them both a nervous look. "Uh, she's just inside. Aren't you supposed to be in L.A. this week? Is something wrong?"

Beca shook her head, answering, "No, it's good. We just want to talk to the two of you."

"Alright then." He didn't look convinced but proceeded to lead them into the living room where Sheila was watching an episode of Cupcake Wars.

The blonde looked up as they entered, her face breaking into a smile. "What a nice surprise," she said, rising quickly from the couch and hugging Beca. "How're you feeling, kid?"

Beca hugged her back and stepped aside so Chloe could have her turn. "I'm good, feeling good."

"That's great, Bec," Ben said, moving to slip his arm around Sheila.

"Yeah, um, actually we've got something to tell you," Beca said, looking from one to the other. "We saw the doc today about my latest CBC and bone marrow biopsy today, and..." She couldn't hold back from breaking into a wide smile at the quick memory of their conversation with Dr. Morris. "I'm in remission!"

Ben's jaw dropped at the same time as Sheila let out a loud shriek of happiness, wrapping her in another tight hug.

"Ah... Stepmonster, easy on the ears," Beca laughed, hugging her back. "I'm gonna need those when I go back to work."

Beca took a step back to look at her dad who stood completely still with tears running down his face. Sheila released her and she stepped over to him, slipping her arms around him. "Dad, I'm gonna be okay," she murmured.

Ben just nodded, hugging her tightly without saying a word. Beca realized her dad needed this, needed to just hold onto her knowing that she was going to be okay, and her own tears started to fall at the thought. After a few minutes he pulled back, both of them wiping at their eyes.

Beca glanced at Sheila who was now standing arm in arm with Chloe as they watched her and her dad, eyes shining with unshed tears as well.

Deciding this moment needed to be a bit happier, Beca quipped, "You know, there's an awful lot of crying happening at such good news."

Sheila and Chloe laughed while Ben just shook his head.

"Tell us everything," Sheila said, curious to know more. "What did the doctor say?"

Beca nodded, taking a deep breath before explaining. "So, I'm in what's called partial remission. It basically means I'm winning, but there are still cancerous cells in my body. The good news is that my test results show almost normal levels of both white and red blood cells, and I can drastically pull back on my treatment."

Ben asked, "What did he say about your treatment going forward?"

"We're going to do two lighter chemo cycles in November and December and then I'm getting a break starting in January to heal," Beca described. "He said we'll monitor things closely after January, but he thinks I'll really notice the difference after I stop the chemo and really let my body recover."

Ben nodded, his hand slipping into Sheila's as a smile broke out on his face. "How does it feel?"

Beca grinned, glancing at Chloe before answering, "Amazing. I mean, physically I'm still struggling from the side effects, but just knowing I'm gonna get better makes it easier to deal with. And obviously I can't wait to marry this chick," she added with a wink.

"This chick," Chloe sighed with a slow shake of her head. "That's what I've been reduced to."

Beca laughed, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. "I made you some promises I intend on keeping."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Thanks so so so much to my beta Arsto who literally had to poke and prod and force me to write and get this chapter done on time. Thanks as always for putting up with me...the best procrastinator haha.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has stuck it out through this wild ride! I love all the feedback, good and bad!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! So I wasn't confident at all that I'd get this out in time, but here we are :-).
> 
> **Not all Grammy awards are announced live. I learned this after my first Grammy chapter, and have taken that into account writing this chapter.
> 
> Music:
> 
> Who You Are – Jessie J
> 
> Rise Up - Andra Day (mentioned only)
> 
> The Cure – Lady Gaga

* * *

"You're overdoing it."

Beca let out an exasperated sigh, spinning around to face her fiancé.

"Chlo, we talked about this. If I feel good I get to go to the studio," Beca countered patiently, holding back a smile at the anxious and slightly unhappy look Chloe was giving her. "Besides, this song needs to get out of my head before it drives me crazy... and we're almost done! I promise."

Chloe wasn't convinced. "You've been in the studio literally every day for the past two weeks. You need to rest, Bec."

"But only for a few hours a day," Beca reminded her. "Not like the marathons of before. I'm being careful."

"I don't trust you or Joey when it comes to work," Chloe replied, though her tone let Beca know she was about to give in. "You two get caught up in the music and the rest of the world ceases to exist."

Beca shrugged, not making excuses. "I can't help it if I get a little focused. It's part of what makes me good at my job. Besides, we're trying to release this as a single right after the Grammy's. Speaking of, have you got your dress yet?"

Chloe's eyes widened at her question, answering, "Beca Mitchell, we are not going to the Grammy's! You are recovering from cancer and chemo and we can watch from here."

"Or," Beca began, her eyes mischievous, "We could watch from the audience and not miss out on the music industry's biggest night. Just an idea."

Chloe just shook her head, fixing her with a stare. "Seriously? You really think you're up for it?"

Beca shot her a pleading look, shuffling over to stand in front of her. "Please, Chlo? I'll take it super easy all day and we can go the second I'm not feeling well."

"As if you'd even tell me..." Chloe muttered.

"Come on, Chlo, it'll be fun," Beca prodded, resting her hands on the redhead's hips. "You know you want to get all dressed up and walk the red carpet with me."

"No red carpet," Chloe retorted firmly, but Beca knew her resolve had weakened.

Beca frowned before saying, "Deal. No red carpet interviews... just a quick photo or two and we'll go right in. You're the best, love you!" She said, placing a quick kiss on Chloe's cheek before spinning away towards the door.

"Hey! That's not what I..." Chloe trailed off, knowing it was pointless. Beca had her hand on the door when Chloe called out, "We go home the second you start feeling tired! And no after parties!"

"Done and done," Beca agreed, spotting Isaac pulling into the driveway. "Okay, Isaac's here, but I promise I won't be there more than two hours. Three tops."

Beca grinned and opened the door at Chloe's shooing motion, knowing she'd won this battle, and began thinking of something she could do to surprise her fiancé upon her return home. Isaac greeted her with a fist bump as he opened the car door.

"Hey DJ, looking good today."

"Thanks, Isaac." Beca slid into the back seat and buckled herself in.

The past four months had flown by and she could scarcely believe February was right around the corner. She was pushing it a little to get this song done on time, but a sneak preview had already received approval to perform it at the Grammy's provided it was finished. Beca knew she had to be careful not to push her recovering body too much, but she desperately wanted to surprise Chloe with the song at the awards show. She'd somehow managed to keep all the details completely secret from the redhead so far, including the artist she was working with, despite Chloe pestering her constantly for details and sending her on the occasional guilt trip.

Her recovery was going well, backing off on the chemotherapy in October, November, and December until stopping treatments altogether in the new year to give her body a chance to recover. Dr. Morris had kept close track of her CBC results, ordering new tests bi-weekly to monitor everything closely, but had indeed approved her break from treatment by the time January had rolled around. It had only been a month, and it could very well be completely mental, but Beca was honestly already feeling better. Now that she knew she could beat it she was even more determined to get to her happily ever after with the love of her life.

Chloe had been so supportive throughout her battle, though possibly overbearing and wrong at times in her attempts to help, that Beca wanted to write a song to show her exactly how much she appreciated it. She couldn't definitively say she would have survived without Chloe by her side, knowing at times it was Chloe's determination and grit and refusal to let her give up that gave her the extra push she needed. Chloe had been there every step of the way, whether Beca wanted her there or not, and she knew that it was a defining factor in their relationship. They were ultimately stronger because of the hardship, and Beca loved Chloe even more now than she ever thought she was capable of. She felt like she was getting close with the lyrics, and was now starting to wonder if she wanted to sing it herself or produce it with another artist.

After receiving the good news from the doctor and telling her parents, Beca had insisted that Chloe attend her brother's wedding. She had to go back to L.A. for her modified treatment, but Beca was adamant that Chloe be there to celebrate with her family. After a small fight, Chloe conceded and as promised, Beca FaceTime'd the entire Beale family from the hospital to wish Oliver and Megan congratulations. Their happy faces had her grinning ear to ear, and she knew how much it meant to Chloe to be able to attend the wedding without feeling guilty about leaving her, or worried about her getting worse the entire time.

She wasn't able to travel over the holidays, and they spent a quiet Thanksgiving and Christmas. They spent Thanksgiving cuddled up in their house alone with Zeus, being thankful for Beca's remission and the chance for many more family packed holiday occasions in the future. Beca insisted on attending the traditional Mitchell and Emmerson Christmas breakfast, and Chloe conceded on the promise that Beca would keep her ass parked on a couch the entire time. Beca agreed as long as she parked said ass underneath her cancer blanket, which she was still protecting from the redhead on a daily basis. Chloe tried to convince her to burn it once she was completely done with treatment, and although Beca initially looked horrified at the idea, eventually agreed to sleep on it.

January had brought a new, and hopefully treatment-free year, and they once more spent the night cuddled up on the couch watching the ball drop in New York City. Beca had firmly shaken her head no when Chloe asked if she would rather be there in person again performing, telling her in no uncertain terms that she was exactly where she wanted to be. Zeus had an equally exciting evening from his doggy bed, barely cracking an eye open when Beca lightly cheered at midnight before Chloe placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Beca insisted on going back to work, ultimately winning the most serious fight she and Chloe had had since the one prior to their engagement. Chloe was understandably nervous about Beca jumping right back into a big project, and she immediately compromised, saying she had a single offer that she wanted to accept. It had already been approved through the label, and Beca knew similar offers weren't just growing on trees. Chloe was furious that she wouldn't tell her any details except that it was writing and producing a single track, and that she was going to be working with another artist who would handle the vocals. She'd finally gotten Chloe to be okay with it, mainly by promising she would limit her hours in the studio to no more than four per day and only one day per weekend. Beca had agreed, which had ultimately led to this point of staring blankly out the window as Isaac drove her to the studio.

They'd managed to secure studio space in downtown San Diego, another factor which contributed to Chloe begrudgingly giving her approval, which allowed Beca to live at home while producing the single. Beca was confident they would wrap the vocals in a day or two, which would give her and Joey plenty of time to finalize the track before the Grammy's to release the following week.

"Bec? We're here," Isaac interrupted her thoughts.

Beca looked out the opposite window to see the building that housed the studio, shaking her head clear as she slid across the back seat and opened the door.

"Hey, Isaac, would you do me a favor? There's an awesome spa not too far from here over by the beach... I'm not sure of the name. Anyways, would you mind grabbing any full package they have? I want to do something nice for Chloe after all she put up with," Beca said, shooting him a wink. "I'll probably be three hours at least, so she'll be a little angry when I get back."

He nodded, waiting until she shut the door before pulling away from the curb. Beca took a deep breath and headed inside the building, flashing a smile and the receptionist who waved her on through. It didn't take her long to navigate through the building until she reached the studio, pushing the door open to see everyone already there waiting for her.

"Sorry, I got held up," Beca apologized, shedding her light jacket and draping it on the back of her chair before realizing someone was still missing. Before she could say anything, the door opened again and Lady Gaga swept into the room smiling brightly.

"Oh, good, you're here. Sorry I'm late," she said quickly, giving Beca a quick hug.

Beca rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, quipping sarcastically, "Ugh, finally."

After they separated, she grinned and continued, "You ready? We don't have much time if we want to get this done before the Grammy's, or if I want to live to see you perform it live. Chloe will either kill me or force me to stay home if we keep running over."

Beca watched her enter the booth and place the headphones securely over her ears, before taking her place at the mixing board. She'd thought it was a dream when Scotty approached her with the news of the offer, forcing him to repeat it multiple times before it sunk in that Gaga actually requested to work with her.

She laughed, shaking her head at Beca's words. "Don't worry, we'll get it done."

* * *

"Okay, thanks for calling Scotty, and thanks for standing in for me. See you soon... bye."

Beca hung up the phone, leaning back in her chair, letting the latest news sink in. Scotty had called already to let her know that Alecia had won for Best Pop Solo Performance, followed shortly by Alecia herself unable to contain her excitement at winning Best Pop Vocal Album. Beca was thrilled for the woman, knowing how much that particular award meant to her after having it slip through her fingers in the past.

"I won producer of the year," Beca said slowly, letting the words sink in, before repeating it. "I fucking did it... I won producer of the year!"

Isaac laughed, standing up and envelop her in a bear hug that lifted her off the ground. "Congrats, DJ. Always knew you had it in you."

Beca squeaked happily when he picked her up, shouting through their house, "CHLOE! I WON!"

Chloe came rushing out of the office, her eyes wide. "What?!"

Beca grinned as Isaac set her down just in time for Chloe to wrap her in an equally tight hug.

"I'm so proud of you, baby!"

Beca stepped back, looking at both of them. "I can't believe it. I mean, I knew I was nominated and that I had a shot, but... holy shit!" She paused, continuing speculatively, "Maybe BMR will be more open to amending my contract now."

Isaac nodded in agreement. "I think you've got a pretty sweet little golden gramophone bargaining chip to tempt them with now. Three even." After a moment, he checked his watch and added, "Shouldn't you two be getting ready?"

Chloe glanced at the time and let out a small shriek, darting towards their bedroom and called over her shoulder, "Send your people back here when they arrive, Bec!"

Beca sighed, explaining, "Chloe has commandeered my glam squad for the evening because apparently she needs them more. I'll be back... just gotta grab my clothes from our room before Chloe refuses to let me in."

* * *

Beca forced herself to stay seated in the chair in the main room, locking eyes with Isaac and chuckling softly at his expression. They were waiting patiently... kind of patiently... for Chloe to finish getting ready in their bedroom or bathroom or whatever the hell she was taking so long doing to her face or her hair.

Beca bit her lip to keep from calling out, recalling exactly how Chloe told her they wouldn't be going anywhere if she yelled at her to hurry up again.

"Relax, DJ. We've got time," Isaac said calmly, reaching over to pet Zeus, who was curled up happily on the couch beside him.

"It's over two hours to the Staples Center," Beca whined, crossing her arms over her chest. "If I didn't know better I'd think she was stalling to keep me home."

"Better not let her catch you saying that," Isaac warned, though the man had to fight back a laugh himself. "She wouldn't do that to you. She knows how excited you are for tonight."

Beca nodded, glancing toward the back of the house again and sighing in disappointment when her fiancé remained hidden somewhere. She'd been banished from their bedroom area early on as Chloe had claimed her glam squad for herself since Beca was going super casual, opting to wear expensive dark jeans and a black vest left open over a simple white t-shirt. She was pretty sure she'd just be sitting in her chair all night and wasn't too concerned with her outfit, and knew that Chloe had chosen her dress with prior knowledge of Beca's outfit.

She tugged gently on the wig making sure it was firmly in place, glad wearing it wasn't too much of an adjustment. The bonus of everyone knowing you have cancer and having lived with it for long enough was that Beca didn't bother much with the wig, instead preferring to wear a beanie or other form of hat. Everyone knew she was bald and had buzzed her head once her treatment began. Her hair hadn't started growing back yet, and though Dr. Morris promised that it would when she stopped treatment. He also said it could take as many as six months for her body to be fully rid of the side effects, and that there may be some long-term side effects of the chemo that never fully heal. She was okay with that though, as long as the cancer stayed in remission.

A noise from the back of the house had her head shooting up at the same time Zeus popped off the couch, Isaac grabbing his collar just in time to hold him back from jumping on Chloe. Beca's eyes went wide and she had a feeling her mouth was doing a great imitation of a fish when she saw her fiancé walking toward her in a beautiful but simple black dress that stopped above her knees. She'd kept her accessories plain as well, but Beca's eyes were drawn to a new silver bracelet on her wrist that contained a single orange ribbon charm. Her eyes started to water and she furiously held back the tears refusing to cry at her fiancé's thoughtfulness, knowing that orange was the designated color for leukemia.

Chloe smiled at her and wrapped her in a hug, whispering, "I love the way you look at me."

Beca pressed a soft kiss to her neck, answering just as softly, "You look stunning, Chlo. I love you so much."

She pulled back, letting her hand trail down Chloe's arm until her fingertips reached the bracelet. "When did you get this?"

Chloe looked down at the charm, replying, "I found it online and thought it was perfect. I got you something too."

Beca raised an eyebrow as Chloe opened her other hand, revealing a necklace and a pin, making her heart lurch all over again.

"I thought you might want to wear one or both of these."

Beca carefully took both items from her as if they were priceless treasures, examining them closely. The pin was simple and elegant, a ribbon design with one half orange and a silver half crossed over top of it that read "survivor." She immediately pinned it to the upper part of her vest, before looking back to the necklace. It was also simple, no more than a small metal square with the words "No one fights alone" stamped on one side along with a tiny orange ribbon hanging over top of them from the same hook.

Wordlessly she slipped the chain over her head, fixing her hair so that the metal rested coolly against the skin at the back of her neck.

"I love them... thank you," Beca murmured, leaning up to give Chloe a soft kiss.

"I love you, Bec, so much," Chloe answered, wrapping her in another hug. "You look pretty good too," she added, stepping back and looking her up and down with a nod of approval. "Sexy baby."

Beca chuckled and laced their fingers together, escorting her to the door where Isaac was waiting for them.

* * *

Beca kept her word about the red carpet, only posing for a few photos before letting Chloe walk her inside the building. They find their seats quickly, and Beca's secretly relieved and a little winded from just the walk in. She glances at the knowing look Chloe is giving her, and shoots her a confident smile.

"I'm good, babe," Beca promised, lacing their fingers together.

Chloe studied her for another moment, which was just long enough to allow her to recover, before accepting her words and gave her hand a squeeze.

"Besides, you know you're excited to be here," Beca added, looking around the arena.

"Well, yeah," Chloe acknowledged, letting her excitement show. "I mean Beyoncé is like... right there Bec. She's like right there."

Beca laughed at the way Chloe's voice rose in pitch, though she knew exactly what the redhead meant. She still felt unworthy at times to be in such esteemed and talented company, although her recent work with Lady Gaga had helped curb that a bit. They really were just normal people for the most part, with the occasional exception, and she was going to have to get used to a lot more cameras on her if she and Alecia did well tonight. One or both of them were nominated in seven categories for the album released last spring titled What About Us, and Beca had tried to steer clear from the rumors that they were shoo-in's to win big. She didn't want to get her hopes up like that, knowing that winning big was possibly the ticket out of her current recording contract with BMR.

The label had put out a statement of support after Kommissar had publicly announced her diagnosis, and had privately informed her that she should focus one hundred percent on her recovery and they could work out any changes to her contract in the future. She'd been immediately grateful, knowing that was one less thing she had to worry about. Teddy had been in discussions with label reps and lawyers trying to get a feel for where the label stood on completely dropping her renewed agreement for two more albums and instead signing her as a full time producer. According to his updates, they wanted to wait and see how things went with the current album, which Beca knew meant they didn't trust her to produce with the same monetary results as her own recorded albums yet. Hopefully their album would win big tonight to go along with her earlier win to prove that she could be just as, if not more, successful as a producer than she was as an artist.

Her gaze caught a familiar face, dropping Chloe's hand and standing up just in time for Alecia to give her a huge hug.

"Producer of the year! You look incredible!" Alecia gushed, stepping back to look at her. "Still the wig?"

Beca smiled back at her, nodding, "Ha, thanks. That's so crazy. And not so bad yourself, you two-time Grammy winner! Congrats! And yeah, it'll take a while for my hair to grow back. But thanks, I'm feeling good."

"I couldn't believe it either, especially Pop Vocal Album. Like, I'm thrilled, but I didn't want to get my hopes up," Alecia replied with a shake of her head. "I wasn't sure if you'd be here tonight, but I'm glad you are. Carey's around here somewhere, but I lost him. We're sitting right here by you though, so he'll be along soon. Hey Chloe!"

Beca stepped aside as Chloe gave Alecia a hug, congratulating her again on her earlier wins.

"I really hope you guys do well tonight, too," Chloe said, slipping her arm around Beca.

Alecia winked at her, replying, "That was the plan. I'm nervous, but I'm also pumped! We've worked really hard on this album and now we just get to sit back and enjoy the ride."

Beca nodded again, leaning into Chloe as she added, "I haven't paid much attention to the rumors, but we put out a kickass album. You ready for your performance?"

"Yeah, rehearsals and sound check went great. What about you?"

Beca's eyes went wide as Chloe fixed her with a glare. "What performance, Bec?"

"Uh... I'm not performing," she said truthfully, imploring Alecia to fix her mistake.

To her credit, the woman caught on immediately, backtracking, "That's right, you turned them down. Don't even listen to me... I'm all over the place tonight. Emotional high and all that shit."

Carey popped up beside her at that moment and greeted everyone, buying Beca a few more moments before Chloe laid into her.

"Beca Mitchell... we had a deal," Chloe whispered as the lights dimmed and they took their seats.

Beca sighed, turning and looking her fiancé in the eyes. "Chlo, I swear I'm not performing. Okay? I promise you."

Chloe's eyes narrowed briefly before she accepted Beca's promise. "Only because I know you wouldn't dare break a promise."

Beca leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

Beca shifted slightly in her seat as they watched the opening montage showing all the Grammy winners from earlier in the day. Chloe gave her hand a squeeze and pressed a kiss to her cheek when her name was shown for producer of the year.

"Hey, where did Alecia go?" Chloe whispered, realizing the seat on Beca's other side was empty.

Beca knew that she was the opening performance, but just shrugged at her fiancé's question. "I'm sure she'll be back soon."

Chloe shook her head, retorting, "You're seriously the worst liar, Mitchell. Why do you even bother anymore?"

"Fine, I know exactly where she is but I don't want to tell you," Beca shot back. "And I know it's driving you crazy and I don't even care."

Chloe rolled her eyes, replying playfully, "I'm marrying a child."

Beca leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips, murmuring, "But you are still marrying me, right?"

Chloe kissed her again instead of responding, pulling apart as the lights went out completely and Alecia took the stage.

"Oh my God, she's first?!" Chloe exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly.

Beca smiled at Chloe's enthusiasm, though she was equally excited to hear Alecia sing their song live after hearing it over and over again in the studio and on the radio. It was immensely popular, and one thing Beca remained a little saddened by from her cancer was that she couldn't really experience the success of their album personally, instead stuck fighting for her life in hospitals and treatment rooms.

The gentle strumming of the guitar signaled the opening verse, and Beca sighed as the strings joined in and at how good Alecia sounded when she hit the chorus.

_Don't lose who you are_

_In the blur of the stars_

_Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing_

_It's okay not to be okay_

_Sometimes it's hard_

_To follow your heart_

_Tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising_

_Just be true to who you are_

Beca felt tears spring to her eyes at the emotion Alecia was putting into every word, feeling it hit her harder in the aftermath of everything she'd been through in the past year. The lyrics seemed even more perfect in retrospect of how hard she'd fought to maintain who she was during her battle, and Beca felt her fingers drawn to the simple necklace signifying her victory.

Chloe wrapped both her arms around Beca's bicep, her head resting lightly on her shoulder. "It's such a beautiful song, Becs. You guys did so good... you deserve to win for it."

Beca nodded as Alecia crushed the performance, finding it over far too quickly for her liking. The woman was definitely born to perform, pouring her soul out on stage and letting everyone know that it was okay to be yourself. She glanced to her right at Carey, smiling at his expression of love and pride and awe.

Beca reached over and squeezed his forearm, saying when he looked her way, "She's incredible. You should be super proud of her."

"Always, but a lot of credit goes to you, Beca," he replied without hesitation. "You took her music to another level with this album. She was totally right to work with you."

Beca nodded, both of them looking back up at the stage as the music faded out to a loud standing ovation.

* * *

"All I'm saying is if we win you're going up there with me."

Beca narrowed her eyes at Alecia, before coming back with, "Nope. Chloe says I have to stay in my seat at all times. Ow!"

Chloe leaned around her, confirming, "I said no such thing. Just make sure she doesn't fall on the stairs and die. There isn't a railing."

"Seriously, I'm not an invalid. I can walk up a set of stairs," Beca complained as the lights came back on and the presenters for Best Pop Duo Performances walked to the front of the stage.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, asking, "When was the last time you conquered a set of stairs in either direction without holding onto something?"

Beca thought about that for a moment, before crossing her arms over her chest. "How am I supposed to remember something like that? You don't even think about going up or down stairs."

"It's been months, you idiot," Chloe supplied, though she softened her words with a kiss to Beca's cheek.

"Don't think you can cover those mean words with kisses and it'll just be okay," Beca retorted, despite the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Chloe grinned, "We'll see about that, Mitchell. And I think Alecia's right, you should go up with her if you win."

Beca shook her head in defeat, conceding, "Fine. But we probably won't win so it's a moot point."

Alecia watched the presenters list off the nominees, answering, "I don't know, Becs. I think we've got a shot. The song is pretty powerful, especially these days."

"Well, yeah... that's why we wrote it in the first place." Beca glanced nervously at the stage as the woman opened the card, pausing dramatically before announcing the winner.

"And the Grammy goes to... Dear Mr. President!"

Beca's eyes went wide in disbelief as Alecia hopped happily to her feet and wrapped her husband in a hug. She forced herself into movement, knowing the cameras were on the pair of them, hugging Chloe before turning and hugging Alecia for a long moment.

"Don't let me fall," Beca quickly whispered in her ear, knowing Chloe was probably right about the stairs.

"Dude, never."

Alecia looped her arm through Beca's as they carefully made their way up onto the stage to accept the award, their song playing through the arena over the loud applause and the announcer listing off their previous wins that evening. They were both handed a small golden statue, before Beca gestured for Alecia to speak.

"Wow! Okay, I'll be quick. This song meant a lot to both of us because we wanted to send a message. Everyone matters! Not just people who look and think like you, but everyone. It was one of the first songs we wrote together, and I had no idea how amazingly talented this chick right here is. I knew I wanted to work with Beca and that I felt we could make something really special, but I had no idea what an incredible journey it would become. I'm so thankful for all the hard work and effort she put into this song and the entire album, all while battling cancer. She's the strongest person I've ever met and truly an inspiration to me, and I'm lucky to call her my friend!" Alecia finished with a grin as the crowd's applause rose until everyone was on their feet, turning and giving Beca a hug.

"You bitch," Beca whispered quietly, her voice full of emotion. "Thank you."

Alecia stepped back, answering, "No... thank you. Really."

Beca stepped up to the mic sheepishly, her cheeks red from embarrassment, which only prompted the crowd to clap louder. When they settled down, she began speaking.

"Thank you, to everyone who worked on this song with us. I'm lucky to be here with you all tonight, and I know that many others have not been as lucky in their fight as I have been," Beca said, her thoughts turning to Blake for a second. "If I've learned anything over the past year, it's to not take a single thing for granted. I've had the opportunity to work with the best artist and person ever, and I'm so thankful for her love and support and friendship."

She turned and gave Alecia a hug as the music started playing and they were escorted off the stage. Immediately members of the media were all over them to get their initial reactions on the win, and Beca took a deep breath, knowing the night was probably just beginning.

* * *

By the time Beca made it back to her seat she'd missed two performances and the presentation of Best Rap Album, and was ultimately met with Chloe's worried expression.

"What took you so long? I was getting nervous," Chloe whispered as she slipped into her seat.

"They were interviewing us separately and then together and then someone rushed me back here because I'm nominated for Song of the Year," Beca explained, looking around the arena. "What's going on?"

"Commercial break," Chloe answered. "Do you think you'll win?"

Beca shook her head. "No, but I didn't think we'd win as much as we already have tonight, so it's possible. Alecia is still back there doing press."

A few minutes later, James Corden came back to the stage and announced the presenters for Song of the Year. Beca knew she was up against stiff competition in this category, and wasn't feeling confident that she'd come out on top. Still, the night had been a massive success already even if they didn't win another award, and she was enjoying her evening out in public with Chloe. She smiled happily when the camera panned to her face as her name was announced as a nominee, feeling Chloe squeeze her hand.

"And the Grammy goes to... Rise Up! Beca Mitchell!"

"Holy shit," Beca murmured, glancing at Chloe before bringing her hands up to cover her face. Tears had instantly sprung to her eyes, the emotions of the moment catching up with her. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought the night would go this well, and Chloe pulled her into a hug, whispering congratulations into her ear.

Beca pulled back, placing a chaste kiss on Chloe's cheek before insisting she was fine walking up and accept the award. She took her time on the stairs as the song played, the ever-growing list of Grammy wins being announced through the arena. Thankfully, she made it to the stage without incident and accepted the small trophy, moving to the microphone to address the audience.

She tried to speak, but realized she was still a little choked up and took a slow breath to regain her composure. "Sorry, I'm a little emotional tonight," she said with a small smile. "When I wrote this song, I had no idea how much I would need those lyrics in the coming months. Um, I'd like to thank everyone involved with this song, P!nk for bringing it to life, and everyone on the team for all their hard work. Really, just... thank you."

Beca smiled one last time at the crowd before letting herself be guided backstage where Scotty met her and wrapped her in a hug.

"You did good, Becs," he praised, hugging her again.

"Where have you been all night?" Beca wondered, hugging him back. "And thanks, Scotty."

Scotty shrugged, answering, "Around. I'm supposed to be sitting with you but I've been helping a few friends out backstage. I'll be sure to be in the audience for the song though."

Beca nodded, but was once more swarmed by people attempting to interview her and felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. The emotions of the night were starting to take their toll, and she needed to remind herself that despite going on a break from treatment, her body still had a long ways to go in the healing process.

"Scotty..." she trailed off, begging him to intervene.

Scotty understood immediately, stepping in front of the journalists. "Okay, Beca needs to return to her seat. You'll have to wait to interview her again until later."

One man from the Grammy organization stepped up, saying, "I'm sorry, but we need a short one minute clip. It's non-negotiable."

Scotty fixed him with a hard stare, before nodding sharply. "Everyone else scatter, now," he demanded, holding firm until they left.

Beca sighed gratefully, and turned her attention to the man. "Okay, ask away."

* * *

Beca once more returned to her seat beside Chloe, smiling tiredly at her fiancé. She knew what was about to happen and needed to summon up the strength to make it back up on stage, which was seeming equivalent to climbing Mount Everest at this point.

Chloe was looking more concerned than before, leaning in to whisper, "Bec, I think we should go. You don't look so good."

Beca shook her head, insisting, "I'm fine, Chlo. Just a little emotional is all. I can't believe how this night has gone... it feels like a dream."

Chloe smiled at her, reaching down to lace their fingers together. "I'm so happy for you, and so proud of you, Bec. You deserve this. You guys worked so hard on that album and it's really, really good. But listen to me, you're done getting up on that stage."

Beca pursed her lips, not wanting to lie to Chloe. "Not even if we win album of the year?"

"Beca..." Chloe's voice trailed off, and she just smiled at the redhead.

"I promised I would tell you if I wasn't okay," Beca stated calmly. "I just need a few minutes to recover from the media attack backstage and I'll be good as new."

Chloe rolled her eyes, mumbling, "Uh huh... my ass."

Beca didn't miss the opportunity, leaning closer to whisper in her ear, "What was that about your ass? How amazing it looks in that dress?"

She knew she was successful when Chloe's mouth turned up in a smile. "Flattery will get you everything, Mitchell."

Beca slipped her free arm around Chloe's waist, replying, "Even you?"

"Especially me," Chloe answered, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"I'd pick you over a million Grammy's," Beca said honestly, kissing her again.

Chloe shivered, ending the kiss before it got too heated. "I love you."

"I love you too, Chlo... so much." Beca rested her forehead against Chloe's, enjoying the moment until the lights dimmed and a spotlight hit Ed Sheeran alone in the middle of the crowd.

"I've had the pleasure of introducing this incredible woman before, and it's my honor to do it again tonight," he began, smiling at the crowd. "Debuting a never before heard song tonight, this single will be released immediately following the show! Performing her new single The Cure, it's Lady Gaga!"

Lights shone down on a different area of the stage revealing Lady Gaga, the crowd cheered loudly as the woman stepped up to the mic and the music began. Beca grinned proudly as she started to sing, glad that they'd respected her wishes to not be named in any way at the beginning of the performance. She glanced at Chloe who was listening intently to the lyrics, seemingly reserving judgment until the beat dropped at the chorus.

_If I can't find the cure, I'll_

_I'll fix you with my love_

_No matter what you know, I'll_

_I'll fix you with my love_

_And if you say you're okay_

_I'm gonna heal you anyway_

_Promise I'll always be there_

_Promise I'll be the cure_

By the end of the chorus the crowd was cheering loudly and dancing along to the beat. Beca's beat. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she looked around at all the happy and impressed faces. Turning her gaze back to her fiancé, she found Chloe looking curiously at her.

"Did you..." Chloe trailed off, leaving the question unsaid.

Beca shrugged, nodding. "Yeah, I might have."

Lady Gaga reached the second verse, and Beca saw tears in Chloe's eyes as the words sunk in.

_Rub your feet, your hands, your legs_

_Let me take care of it, babe_

_Close your eyes, I'll sing your favorite song_

_I wrote you this lullaby_

_Hush now, baby, don't you cry_

_Anything you want could not be wrong_

Beca leaned in again, saying, "We wrote it together. She had a close friend pass away from breast cancer, and approached me about writing a song about it."

Chloe bit her lip as tears welled up behind her eyes, pulling Beca into a fierce hug. "I love you," she said over and over as Beca rubbed a comforting hand over her back. The song was nearing its end and Beca pressed a kiss to Chloe's neck as she listened to the end of the chorus.

_And if you say you're okay_

_I'm gonna heal you anyway_

_Promise I'll always be there_

_Promise I'll be the cure_

The music continued after the lyrics ended, Lady Gaga's voice and a sudden spotlight on them broke up the moment, Beca pulling apart to squint around. "Oh right, forgot about this part," Beca said. "Last time, babe, I swear."

Chloe shot her a confused look as Lady Gaga's words registered.

"I'd like to bring up the other person responsible for this song! Co-writer and producer Beca Mitchell!"

Beca grinned sheepishly at Chloe before making her way back up the steps, taking the other woman's hand to help tackle the last few and gave her a quick hug.

"In case any of you have been sleeping through the show tonight, Beca has clearly stamped her name on the music industry in the biggest way possible. I approached her after she announced remission from her cancer to write a song for everyone hurting from this disease, be it personally or via family or friends. We wanted to do something special tonight to support those out there that are still fighting, and continue to fight cancer! After getting to know her and working with her on this song, I'm not surprised at all she was awarded Producer of the Year earlier today. She's incredibly gifted and talented and I'm thankfully she kicked cancer's ass so we can all listen to her genius for years to come!"

Lady Gaga moved aside and Beca stepped up to the microphone, blushing furiously from the woman's compliments.

"I've been so fortunate to have the necessary resources available to me in my fight with leukemia, but not everyone is so lucky. Tonight we've teamed up with several other artists, The Recording Academy to raise support and awareness for the American Cancer Society and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. We will match all donations made during the show, which will ultimately be split between these two amazing organizations. Every cent donated tonight will go directly to either the ACS or St. Jude's."

Beca stepped back and smiled at Lady Gaga, who returned to the microphone again.

"Please join the fight tonight to help us find the cure! There are several ways you can donate, either by texting the number on the screens, or via a link on The Recording Academy's website. Thank you!" Lady Gaga shouted to loud cheers and applause as the lights went dark and the show cut to commercial, people hurriedly rushing out to escort them backstage.

* * *

Beca smiled happily at Chloe, letting her thumb trace random patterns over the back of her fiancé's hand. The night was almost over, and the only award left to give out was Album of the Year. At this point, Beca was pretty sure they were going to win it. Not long ago they'd been awarded Record of the Year for Who You Are, racking up her total to five for the evening. Seemingly the stars had aligned for this album, and she could recall feeling like It's potential was limitless even when they were laying down the vocals in the studio. She also felt humbled that Alecia's belief in her had been well placed, as evident by her glowing comments toward Beca every time she'd taken the stage.

After they'd won Record of the Year, Little Big Town had taken the stage alongside Pentatonix to perform a tribute to Fleetwood Mac to honor their lifetime achievement award. The crowd roared about three-quarters of the way through the performance when Fleetwood Mac joined them on stage to finish out the tribute, harmonizing beautifully to Landslide.

As wonderful as the night had been so far, Beca was admittedly glad it was almost over. She was exhausted, and hadn't put up a fight when Chloe informed her she'd be watching from the crowd for the remainder of the evening.

There was another commercial break before Beyoncé strode confidently to the mic that appeared from the floor to announce the nominees for Album of the Year.

Chloe whispered in Beca's ear, "How did she just have twins? She looks incredible."

Beca nodded in agreement, answering, "She's the queen. There's no explanation... she's just above the rest of us."

Chloe chuckled at her answer, and Beca gave a contented smile as they waited for the final announcement. She could feel Alecia's foot tapping nervously on the floor beside her, turning her head to look at the woman.

"Seriously? Relax. Even if we lose it's been an amazing night... but we're not going to lose."

Alecia rolled her eyes, retorting, "I know, but I can't. This night has been completely surreal and exceeded all expectations, but I still want this one too."

"And the Grammy goes to... What About Us! P!ink, producers Beca Mitchell, Joseph Matthews..."

Beca grinned as the rest of their production team was named, leaning subtly on Chloe's arm to stand up and hug Alecia, turning to hug Joey who was seated behind them.

"Good job everyone," Beca said, winking at Alecia as she hugged Joey before making her way up to the stage.

Joey answered, "Back at you, Becs. You really nailed this album. That Grammy is deserved."

Alecia accepted the award on behalf of the entire production team, quickly thanking everyone involved multiple times before showering praise briefly on her husband and family.

Just like that the night was over, and Beca turned happily to her fiancé. "I'm ready to go home, Chlo," she said tiredly, though her smile was in place.

When Scotty approached her from backstage, Beca simply said, "I can't do interviews tonight. Tell anyone who's nice about it that I'll give them a one on one when I'm feeling a little stronger... but only the nice ones."

Scotty laughed and nodded his understanding. "Okay, Becs. Isaac is already waiting with the car, so you guys should be able to sneak out pretty quickly. Just gotta pose for a few pictures with your six Grammy's and then you can go."

Beca shook her head in disbelief at her success that evening. It should have been everything she dreamed coming true, but the past year had given her a unique perspective on what really mattered. The awards were great, but the fact that she had a future to look forward to with Chloe truly meant more to her than any number of small golden gramophones.

Chloe gave her an encouraging smile, saying, "Come on, I'll escort you to the photographer. I kinda want to see this myself. You better not drop them."

Beca laughed, a gleam in her eye as she said, "Challenge accepted!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, the first and biggest thanks goes out to my incredible beta Arsto, who continues to listen and help me agonize over every detail of this story. Your patience is unprecedented...or is it unpresidented? :-P
> 
> Thanks to everyone who continues to support this story! It means a lot to me!
> 
> We're definitely nearing the end, so just be prepared for that. Maybe 4-ish chapters left?


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 25
> 
> AN: Happy Friday the 13th! Things got a little crazy in my world. Well, first I took a much needed vacation, then things got crazy. Who knew buying a house was hard? :-P Anyways, that's right... someone was stupid enough to lend us an unimaginable amount of money and now we have our own little slice of heaven. yay!
> 
> Now with that mess out of the way, here's to hoping I can finish this story :-).
> 
> Music:
> 
> World Stops Spinning – Kate Voegele

* * *

Beca rubbed her hand over the hair now covering her head, thrilled that it was finally growing back. It was still short, and she was forcing herself to be patient despite wishing it would just magically grow back in seconds to the length it was. She was getting used to the feeling though, especially with how often she was rubbing her head lately. Chloe had asked her if she wanted to get it cut and styled, but she decided against it knowing it would just take even longer to grow back in.

"Bec, what do you think of this place?"

Beca glanced over at Chloe's laptop screen that had a photo of some beautiful garden displayed on it. "I don't know, Chlo, it looks fine," she answered, not wanting to discuss that particular subject.

"Well, you're not being very helpful..." Chloe mumbled, flipping the laptop back around and clicking a few times on the track pad.

"Yeah, well, you're the one that proposed," Beca grumbled, standing up from the couch and wandering into the kitchen. "You plan the wedding."

Chloe called back at her, "You're the one who said yes! And you're the one who bought the ring!"

Beca grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and returned to the living room, pointing out, "Yes, but I didn't propose. Was I supposed to say no?"

"No," Chloe said firmly, staring at her. "Do you not want to get married?"

Beca let out an exasperated sigh, answering, "No! I mean, yes, I want to get married. Of course I want to marry you, I just..." She trailed off feeling a little embarrassed. "I want to look like me when I do... that's all."

Chloe slid her laptop to the side to rest on the couch and stood up to face the brunette. "I love you no matter how you look. I want to marry you, and I don't want to wait."

"I don't want to be bald at our wedding!"

It came out in a rush and took Chloe by surprise. Beca sighed again, looking into her fiancé's clear blue eyes. "I know you want this big, fairy tale wedding at some giant fancy venue, and I want to give it to you Chlo... I swear. I know it means a lot to you, and you love me and you don't want to put it off... but waiting would mean a lot to me," she said, imploring Chloe not to push it.

No matter how well her recovery was going, Beca still felt self conscious at how much she'd changed during her months of treatment. She was finally starting to look more like her old self, her hair growing back in and gaining some weight so she looked less like a skeleton and more like a human. Beca knew Chloe didn't care, and she loved her for that, but it had been a long time since she'd been able to happily look in the mirror.

When Chloe didn't respond, Beca added, "I love you. I want to marry you. It's just... we're going to be looking at these pictures and remembering that day for the rest of our lives, and I'd like to smile at how happy we are instead of frowning at how much I still look like I have cancer."

Chloe relented, looking admittedly guilty as she said, "I'm sorry, I get it. I'd rather have a fall wedding anyways. And I was actually thinking... maybe something a little smaller would be a better fit for us. It'll be hard though, since my family doesn't really do anything small."

Beca chuckled, knowing how large the Beale family was. "Yes, I'm well aware. And I love the idea of a small wedding. That's how I pictured it you know, kinda like the proposal I had half planned. My whole life is so public... I want a few moments to be just for us."

"I love that, almost as much as I love you," Chloe answered, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Beca's cheek before glancing at her laptop.

Beca swallowed at her fiance's look as Chloe casually suggested, "If we're going to have a fall wedding we need to start planning now..."

She knew shouldn't have looked at Chloe's eyes, feeling her resolve weaken immediately. "Ugh, fine," Beca relented, breaking into a grin at Chloe's excited squeal. "Although I was thinking... What if we got married here, in our backyard? It's pretty big and I mean, how many people do you want to invite? I was thinking just close family and friends."

Chloe studied her for a moment, and Beca wondered what she was thinking. She didn't have to wait long, as Chloe replied, "I love it. I love our backyard and we'll save so much money on a venue fee and we can have it whenever we want..."

Beca quirked an eyebrow at that statement, but chose not to comment and interrupt Chloe's rambling.

"And there won't be any limitations on catering and then we could have the fire pit going in the evening, and as long as it's small we won't need a formal dinner. Are you sure you want to wait until fall?" Chloe looked at her hopefully, but Beca shook her head.

"I'm sure, Chlo. You can get your wedding fix when we see your family and go celebrate Jess and Ashley at the end of the month."

Chloe sighed, though she remained smiling. "Okay, okay, fall it is."

* * *

Beca shook her head in slight disbelief as she looked around the private jet. Chloe was sleeping peacefully in the comfortable chair across from her, reclined much farther than your average coach seat ever could.

"How is this my life?" She mumbled, quietly rising out of her own chair and moving to the back of the plane, trying not to disturb her girlfriend... fiancé. She was still trying to wrap her head around that one, the goofy smile taking over her face every time the word crossed her mind.

BMR had sent the jet when Beca informed them she'd be traveling to Nashville to attend a wedding, under the condition that she would make time to meet with reps from the label about her contract. While she wasn't thrilled at the ulterior motive behind it, they didn't let it stop them from taking full advantage of the comforts that the plane provided. Isaac had driven them directly to the hangar where the small jet awaited, and they were in the air in less than thirty minutes.

Now Chloe was passed out and Beca had the option of going over the latest terms Teddy had proposed to amend her current contract, or working on the lyrics of a song that had been stuck in her head. She valiantly looked at the stack of papers Teddy provided her for about ten minutes, before putting them carefully away and digging out her notebook of song lyrics.

The current song she was working on was inspired by Chloe. No surprise there, as a good majority of her music was in one way or another, but Beca was feeling particularly good about this one. She just had a feeling that Chloe was going to like it. She flipped open her notebook to the right page, lyrics scribbled down messily all over the paper mimicking her random thought process when creating a song from nothing.

Beca spent about thirty minutes transforming the different phrases and lyrics into a more cohesive thought, eventually separating out verses and settling on a chorus. She was humming softly to herself, trying to get a feel for the sound when Isaac's voice broke her concentration.

"That sounds good."

She glanced up at him, her lips parting in a small smile. "It's a work in progress."

Isaac nodded, glancing at his watch. "We've got another hour. Want to sing it for me?"

Beca narrowed her eyebrows as she looked back at the page, still uncertain about the melody. "It's not finished."

"Never stopped you before."

"You got spoiled listening to all my random half-songs on tour," Beca shot back with a shake of her head.

Isaac laughed, "Guilty. But there's also something really special about watching you work, DJ. You're pretty good at this stuff."

Beca stopped thinking about the song for a minute, studying Isaac's face. The man had been there for her from the beginning, but she never knew how closely he paid attention to her music. "Okay then," she relented, her gaze locked on him for another moment finding nothing but honest curiosity.

She mumbled her way through the first verse, not at all settled on how the melody should be, hitting her stride a little towards the end and into the chorus.

 

_While the world stops spinning and it's only us_

_And it's only us tonight_

_And I'm already giving into your love_

_Well, you won me over right_

_I'm flying high, touching the stars above_

_While the world stops spinning and it's only us_

_And it's only us tonight_

_And it feels so right_

 

Beca grinned, her foot tapping our a faster beat despite the fact that she was no longer singing. The melody was playing in her head, and she chuckled at the look of amazement on Isaac's face.

"I'll never understand how you do that," he confessed.

Beca answered, "I couldn't explain it if I tried. I just hear it."

Her voice was more confident when she repeated the chorus, her fingers tapping against her opposite palm along with her foot until Chloe's voice interrupted them.

"That one's new."

Beca immediately stopped singing, turning to look at the redhead. "Yep, uh... it's still in progress. You're supposed to be sleeping."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, moving over to perch comfortably on her lap. "Is that so? Trying to hide something from me, Mitchell?"

"Yes, obviously. That's why I was singing it progressively louder in this tiny plane cabin," Beca retorted, her arms slipping easily around Chloe's waist.

Chloe ignored her sarcasm, asking, "Sing it again?"

Beca thought for a moment, before glancing back at her notebook with the lyrics.

 

_And now that I've tasted paradise_

_I can't remember what it was like_

_Before the day, I first felt your lips on mine_

_What are the chances that I've landed, on another planet_

_I could swear it, because here in your presence_

 

_While the world stops spinning and it's only us_

_And it's only us tonight_

_And I'm already giving into your love_

_Well, you won me over right_

 

Beca smirked as Chloe blushed, her eyes darkening the longer she kept singing. She was well aware the effect her singing had on Chloe, but was surprised to feel a rush of heat herself at the look in her fiancé's eyes. Before she could lean in, Chloe made the first move, connecting their lips in a firm kiss. Beca's hand tightened on Chloe's hip, heat rushing through her before remembering that Isaac was about two feet away from them.

Beca pulled back, but before she could say anything Chloe took a deep breath and stood up from her lap, mumbling a quick excuse before disappearing into the bathroom.

Beca's eyebrows rose as she exchanged a look with Isaac, wondering out loud, "What just happened?"

Isaac shook his head. "You'll figure it out," was his answer, rising to his feet. "I'll check with the pilot for an ETA."

Beca frowned at the man's back before looking towards the plane's bathroom door, her mind going into overdrive. That kiss was hot and she'd felt real arousal rushing through her for the first time since... well, since around the time she was diagnosed. Chloe's reaction confused her, bolting away before she could get a word out. Beca knew they had a lot of intimacy issues to work through, but her heart sunk at the thought that Chloe wasn't attracted to her anymore. It was a conversation they would have to face sooner rather than later, but the heavy feeling in her chest remained long after Chloe returned to her seat and the plane touched down in Nashville.

* * *

Beca grinned as she entered the building, immediately spotting Teddy and Scotty sitting in the waiting area. Teddy had been in town for the past week on business, and extended his trip especially for this meeting. Beca knocked his fist with her own, before letting the attorney wrap her in a hug.

"You look good," Teddy complimented her, before releasing her as Scotty looked up from his phone.

"Hey superstar," Scotty greeted her, standing up and nodding to Isaac as well, shaking the man's hand. "How's the family, Isaac? Settling into California life?"

Isaac returned the handshake, answering, "The girls love it out there. The wife is happy, so I'm happy."

Teddy chimed in, "Good man. Happy wife, happy life. You'd do well to remember that, Becs. Where is your lovely fiancé? I thought she'd be with you."

"She's the maid of honor in the wedding tomorrow, so she's off with her best friend doing... something," Beca answered with a shrug. "I asked her if she wanted to be a part of the meeting, but she said no."

"Shame," Teddy responded, looking down at something on his phone. "Well, let's see if they're ready for us."

Beca followed behind the tall man as he approached the receptionist, who immediately signaled to someone to lead them to a conference room.

Teddy glanced back to wink at Beca, whispering, "They know better than to keep me waiting."

"You or me?" She shot back, her lips curling into a knowing smirk.

"Both," he countered.

Beca chuckled quietly and followed them through the hallways until they reached the conference room, eyeing the representatives from the label already seated on one side of the table. She let out a slow sigh, knowing she was probably in for a long meeting. There was no way around it, despite Teddy promising that his conversations with the group over the past week had been very positive.

The man sitting at the center of the table rose and circled around the room to the group, introducing himself as Harrison Carlisle. Beca shook his hand as he named the other people in the room, forgetting the names almost immediately and sat down between Teddy and Scotty.

Harrison spoke first, to her surprise addressing her instead of Teddy. "Beca, we're so glad you made time to meet with us today. We want to make sure everyone leaves this room happy today, but most importantly, how are you?"

Beca raised an eyebrow at him, glancing uncertainly at Teddy who nodded his approval for her to speak her mind. "Well, uh, fine I guess. Thanks for sending the plane. Made the trip a lot easier. I've been feeling better the longer I'm off treatment."

"We're all so happy to hear that," Harrison said smoothly. "Please believe me when I say our first priority is your health. That being said, according to Mr. Rook you're interested in altering the current arrangement with the label. We are open to hearing what you'd like this relationship to look like moving forward."

Beca hesitated again, thankful when Teddy spoke up.

"Beca has proven her capability as a successful producer. I don't believe anyone in this room would argue that," Teddy began, shifting slightly in his chair to lean forward.

Harrison cut him off politely, "Mr. Rook, everyone in this room is aware of Beca's recent success at the Grammys, as well as your feelings on the future of her career. If you wouldn't mind, we'd actually like to hear what she wants, directly from her."

Beca felt Teddy tense up beside her, not appreciating being so casually dismissed. "It's okay," she said, placing a hand on his arm.

"No disrespect," Harrison quickly backtracked. "We want nothing more than to continue the positive relationship that's been established since Beca signed with Big Machine.

"I appreciate that, and all that BMR has done for my career," Beca began, meeting the man's eye. "Ideally I would like to continue to transition into producing full time. I do have a lot of thoughts surrounding another album, but I'm not quite ready to start working on one. I've looked over where my contracts are now, and I'm prepared to continue to work for BMR as a producer as long as you drop my artist contract down to only one more album instead of two."

Harrison studied her for a moment, replying, "Are you saying you only intend on releasing one more album as an artist?"

Beca took her time answering, thinking over the question. "No, I wouldn't say that. I definitely have plans for another album, and I may or may not want to record another in the future, but for now I don't want the pressure of multiple albums weighing in the back of my mind. I'd much rather focus on producing, which I can give maximum effort to during my recovery."

Harrison exchanged glances with a few of his colleagues at the table, before fixing her with a smile. "Okay, looks like we have a starting point. We'll agree to drop one album off your current contract provided you sign with BMR as a producer. Shall we start on terms?"

This time the question was directed at Teddy, and Beca was slightly relieved as the attorney immediately launched into a series of requests while his opposite numbers furiously scribbled down notes. It was the first time she'd been at the table during this type of negotiation, and it was truly impressive watching Teddy work. He was smart, and lightning fast with his answers and counter-offers, and Beca held back a grin as Harrison's expression occasionally twitched in frustration.

She didn't have to answer many questions from that point on, only really minor issues that Teddy needed her opinion or confirmation of, and it took a little less than two hours for both attorney's to sit back with happy but tired expressions. Beca wasn't entirely sure what the final contract would look like, having gotten lost time and time again as the men argued over percentage points and the finer details.

Harrison cleared his throat, shooting a pleased glance at the woman seated beside him before fixing his stare on Beca.

"We're in agreement then, that you will work on one BMR project and two additional at your own discretion, with no more than three at one time. It will be a two year contract, entirely separate from your work as an artist. The fees negotiated are acceptable to you?"

Beca conferred quietly with Teddy, before sitting up a little and nodding. "Yes, everything looks good."

Harrison followed suit with a nod, continuing on, "You'll receive your producing fee up front at the beginning of each year, amounting to two hundred fifty thousand per year, along with the aforementioned agreed upon percentages per album or track."

Beca took a deep breath, feeling slightly overwhelmed at the numbers as Harrison droned on recounting the specifics of her contract. It was insane, despite Teddy reassuring her she was more than worth every penny and insisting he could have gotten even more.

"It looks as if everything's in order," Harrison finished, flipping closed a notebook on his desk. "Why don't we take a break for lunch while the paperwork is being drawn up, and we'll finalize everything with signatures this afternoon. Over lunch we can discuss your first project for the label, if you'd like," he said with a small smile, as if he knew Beca wouldn't be able to contain her curiosity.

"You've already got an artist lined up for me?" Beca asked, clearly surprised at the statement. "What if we hadn't reached a deal?"

The man shrugged, "Well, she probably would have found a way to make it happen regardless. Taylor is very persuasive, and rarely accepts no as an answer."

Beca somehow found a way to keep her jaw from hitting the floor, wondering if he was serious. "You want me to produce Taylor Swift's next album?"

"Technically, Taylor Swift wants you to produce her next album," Harrison answered, also managing to keep a straight face. "The label is extremely excited about the two of you working together. She'll be here this afternoon for the announcement. We know you two have met briefly in the past, but thought it would be a perfect occasion for you to really meet."

Beca's head was spinning at the thought. Yes, she'd met Taylor at BMR events and they'd crossed paths randomly at awards show rehearsals, but there had never been a real conversation before. She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea when Harrison interrupted her thoughts.

"So, lunch?"

* * *

"You didn't answer your phone!"

Beca's expression was incredulous as Chloe stared at her from across the room. "Was I supposed to magically know where you were?"

Chloe threw her hands up in the air, answering, "YES! When it's the chance to meet Taylor Swift? Yes, you're supposed to magically know where I am so I can meet her!"

Beca recognized the teasing tone in her fiancé's voice and gave a defeated sigh. "Right, I'll remember that next time. Also, you know that I'll be working with her for a while, right? And you can probably meet her a ton of times?"

"Yes, but I won't always get to see you sign your first really big producing contract," Chloe countered, crossing the room to wrap Beca in a hug. "I'm really proud of you, baby."

Beca smiled, holding Chloe close. "How crazy is that? At first they were falling all over themselves to make me happy. Teddy eventually had to do some work, but afterwards he told me they caved easily on just about everything."

They stood like that for another moment, before Beca stepped back. "If we don't start getting ready we'll be late to the rehearsal dinner, and I for one don't want to do anything to piss off the bride... well, either of the brides. How is Jess?"

Chloe grinned, answering, "So excited. We had a great time today. Plenty of time to chat and catch up and talk about tomorrow. The rehearsal is first, followed by dinner. Will you be bored?"

Beca shook her head, "No, I'll be fine. I've already got..." She paused, looking down at her phone before continuing, "Twenty-two emails from either Taylor or her team about her ideas for the album. That should be more than enough to keep me from boredom."

"Wow, okay then. I take it things went well this afternoon?" Chloe asked, stripping her shirt off and making her way down the hallway of Beca's apartment towards the bedroom.

Beca hesitated for a moment, eyes lingering on the bare skin of Chloe's back. "Uh... yeah, it was fine," she finally answered, shuffling along down the hallway. "She's really nice and I think we'll work well together. She really knows her stuff, so it should be interesting to see where she wants to take this next album."

Chloe was already in the bathroom by the time she reached the bedroom door, the shower turning on as Beca studied the trail of clothes lying across the floor. Heat flushed through her again at the thought of Chloe naked in the shower, biting her lip in frustration knowing they didn't have time to fool around, or even if Chloe would want to.

As if on cue, the redhead's voice floated out of the bathroom. "Want to join me, Becs?"

Beca sucked in a deep breath, mumbling, "You have no idea," knowing Chloe couldn't hear her. Raising her voice, she said, "No, we don't really have a lot of time. I'll use the other bathroom."

"Okay," was the answer, and Beca couldn't hear a shred of disappointment in her fiancé's cheerful tone.

"Okay," Beca murmured, grabbing a spare towel as she headed out of the bedroom toward the guest bathroom to get ready.

* * *

Beca smiled as Chloe pressed against her side, both of them watching Jess and Ashley take their first dance to Etta James' At Last. Chloe had laughed at the song choice, with multiple people commenting it had certainly taken the couple long enough to tie the knot.

The ceremony had been beautiful, though Beca had been torn the entire time, unable to keep from staring at how gorgeous Chloe looked in the deep blue strapless dress Jess had chosen for her. Her red hair was pinned up in a messy bun with loose tendrils framing her face, making Beca's heart beat a little faster every time Chloe looked her way and shot her a secretive smile.

Beca's emotions were on a roller coaster ride as Jess and Ashley exchanged their own vows along with a few traditional sentiments, sealing their marriage with a kiss that made her eyes burn a little with unshed tears. Her smile as the pair walked hand in hand back down the aisle faded slightly at the sight of Chloe with her arm wrapped around the best man's elbow, following the happy couple away from the crowd. Yes, she knew it was only Ashley's older brother, and yes she'd met him and his wife last night, and yes she knew that they'd been happily married for five or six years, but it didn't stop the twinge of jealousy that spiked at the sight of her fiancé walking beside someone that wasn't her.

She'd taken her time making her way to the reception, knowing that Chloe was going to be wrapped up in the post-wedding photo session, eventually finding a secluded spot to look over some of the emails Taylor had sent in some kind of brainstorming fury. Thankfully she wasn't interrupted, though more than once she looked up to catch someone's eyes locked on her, their expression clearly wondering if it really was the "Beca Mitchell." A frown and a dismissive glance back to her phone had warded off anyone contemplating approaching her until a familiar scent attached to an equally familiar pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.

"You look way too frowny for such a happy day," Chloe murmured, placing a kiss below her ear.

Beca smiled and slipped her phone back in her purse, twisting her head to place a chaste kiss on Chloe's lips. "Well luckily my fiancé always knows how to cheer me up."

Chloe nodded, "That I do. I got us a seat at a good table that eats first."

"I think I just fell in love with you all over again, Ms. Beale," Beca mock swooned. "You sure know the way to a girl's heart."

"Well, maybe not all girls, but definitely the way to yours is through your stomach," Chloe countered, playfully poking her side.

Beca swerved, unsuccessfully attempting to dodge the attack. "Hey, none of that. Not 'til I've eaten. Which is soon?" She asked hopefully.

Chloe laughed, lacing their fingers together. "Yeah, soon. Come on, our table's this way," she said, leading them to a table with the rest of the wedding party.

Dinner had been wonderful, followed by the exit and re-entry of the wedding party, which Beca didn't exactly understand but kept silent on anyways, leading up to their current situation of Chloe sighing happily in her ear while they watched Jess and Ashley share their first dance.

"Will you dance with me to a super cheesy song like this?" Chloe asked, her arms slipping around Beca.

"Absolutely not," Beca retorted. "I'm way too much of a badass to have my first dance song be this corny."

Chloe scoffed, "Yeah, okay Ms. Badass who writes songs that are just as cheesy."

Beca's jaw dropped in mock anger. "Take that back! My songs are nowhere near as cheesy as this," she insisted, trying to wiggle free from Chloe's grasp. "Let me go, I've clearly made a huge mistake."

Instead, Chloe held her tighter, whispering, "I'm never letting you go. You're stuck with me, Mitchell."

"Ugh, fine," Beca said dramatically, leaning farther into the redhead's embrace. "I guess you'll do."

She smirked at Chloe's huff towards her last statement before everyone broke into a light applause as the dance ended, the pair splitting apart to share a dance with their fathers.

"Getting any ideas for our wedding?" Beca asked, smoothly changing the subject?

Chloe grinned happily, answering, "Of course! I can't wait to go wedding dress shopping. You need to start that, by the way. It takes forever for some of them to come in."

Beca shrugged, "I'm sure I'll figure something out. Maybe I'll just have one made."

"I forget you know, that you're a big deal and can do stuff like that," Chloe murmured.

"I'm glad," Beca replied honestly. "I hope you never stop thinking of me like a normal person, since that's exactly what I am."

Chloe let out a soft laugh, saying, "Baby, you are far from normal, and I'm super thankful for that."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Beca smirked, watching the emotions play across her fiancé's face.

"You should." Chloe was quick as ever, her eyes shining as she placed a quick kiss on Beca's lips.

Beca applauded as the toasts finally concluded, taking extra time to reassure Chloe that no she hadn't talked too long, and no she hadn't been inappropriate with some of the stories from college. They bet on whether there would be cake smashed in faces, Chloe winning with her prediction of no while Beca looked on trying to hide her disappointment.

She was currently watching Chloe dance with Jess and Ashley and their friends from college, taking a quiet moment to herself. The emotions of the day were really catching up with her, and the way Chloe was moving on the dance floor was doing nothing to the arousal that had been slowly burning since the flight yesterday. Beca knew they needed to talk about it, but she also knew that Chloe probably had no idea she'd been feeling this way, and it wasn't the redhead's fault for not catching on. Things had been platonic between them for so long that Beca had no idea how to even approach the conversation.

Before she could worry about it any longer, Chloe was dragging her onto the dance floor and pressing up against her. Beca felt her heart flutter a bit at the laughter and fun in Chloe's eyes and expression, trying to feed off her energy and stay in the moment.

All too soon the song ended in favor of a slower one, and Chloe immediately wrapped her arms around Beca's neck, pressing close as they swayed to the music. Beca slipped her arms around Chloe's waist, knowing now probably wasn't the best time to bring it up but found she couldn't wait any longer.

"Are you still attracted to me?"

Chloe froze, slowly leaning back to look at her. "What?"

Beca swallowed hard, feeling the nerves hit her even more at Chloe's expression. "Um... it's just that, I know we haven't... done much..." She trailed off, letting her forehead drop to Chloe's shoulder. "I know I'm not really the same as I was before, physically, and I was just wondering... 'cause on the plane I kinda felt something but then you left and..."

"Beca."

She looked up at Chloe's sharp tone, despite the way the redhead had kept her voice down. Chloe didn't say anything though, instead taking a moment to study her face before grabbing her hand and leading her quickly out of the reception hall. Beca decided it was better to not say anything, instead following along blindly wondering where Chloe was taking her.

Beca didn't have to wait long to find out, patiently remaining silent as Chloe led them into the single room bathroom designated for families, pulling the door shut and immediately twisting the deadbolt lock.

"Chlo..." Beca started, but was cut off by Chloe's lips on her own, feeling the redhead flip their positions and her back hit the door.

Beca had a profound sense of déjà vu, thinking back to the first time they'd had sex against the door of Chloe's apartment. It had been hot and heavy and new and fueled entirely by lust, and the way Chloe was kissing her now was giving that moment a run for it's money. Chloe was kissing her like it was the oxygen she needed to breathe, like she'd finally found water after stumbling for ages in the desert.

Beca's hands clutched tightly to Chloe's hips as the redhead pressed closer, leaving no space between them, until she had to pull back and gasp in a breath. The look in Chloe's eyes was smoldering, and Beca had to stop her as she leaned in again.

"Wait," Beca breathed, trying to catch her breath. "I'm out of practice," she joked, letting her hands slip around to hold Chloe in place, not letting the redhead step out of her embrace.

Chloe's gaze softened, her hands coming up to cup Beca's cheeks. "Is it... do you really want to?"

Beca's heart dropped a little at the hesitation and hopefulness in Chloe's voice, getting a brief glimpse of just how much she'd missed the physical aspect of their relationship.

"Yeah," Beca whispered, leaning forward and kissing her again. "I want to," she said, leaning back against the door with a happy smile that vanished at the tears quickly pooling in Chloe's eyes. "Or not," she said hurriedly, as Chloe stepped back to wipe at her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Chloe shook her head with a half laugh half sob. "Oh my God, do not apologize! I don't even know why I'm crying... I'm so happy."

Beca quickly stepped forward away from the door and pulled her into a tight hug, not knowing what else to do. Chloe hugged her back, eventually gathering herself and moving over to the sink to wash her face. Beca waited patiently while she carefully dabbed under her eyes with a paper towel, unsure of exactly what was about to happen.

Chloe spun toward her, tossing the towel into the trashcan, her eyes shining again. "I didn't know if you would ever want to again, Bec. It's been... well, it's been a long time."

Beca's eyes widened, asking, "And you were still gonna marry me? Why?"

"Because I love you, you idiot," Chloe answered simply, stepping closer and placing a slow kiss on her lips. "I love you a ridiculous amount. And there are other ways to have an orgasm."

Beca sputtered at that, at a loss for words as she found herself watching Chloe's back while the redhead unlocked the bathroom door.

"Let's go dance some more," Chloe said, glancing back at her over her shoulder with a smile. "We've got all night to explore those new feelings of yours, and if it's all the same to you, I'd rather it be in a bed than... here. That okay with you?"

Beca shook her head clear, her mind still reeling over Chloe's prior statements. "Yeah, that's okay with me," she answered, taking Chloe's hand as they returned to the reception.

* * *

Beca found herself feeling slightly nervous as she stood beside Chloe in the elevator during the ride up to her apartment. It had seemed needless to get a hotel room when the venue was only about thirty minutes from her building, and she kind of missed her Nashville apartment. It was her first real home that was all hers, from the hard work and effort she'd put into her music.

Chloe was standing patiently beside her, slightly leaning against the back of the elevator, and Beca wondered if she could sense her anxiety. The redhead was right in her earlier statement it had been a long time since they'd done anything sexual beyond kissing, and even that had been pretty platonic.

They finally arrived at the sixth floor and stepped out onto the landing after the ding from the elevator broke the silence between them.

Beca took a slow breath and smiled at Chloe, letting her step off first with a chivalrous, "After you."

Chloe laughed as Beca quickly followed her and opened the door, momentarily finding herself listening for the patter of Zeus' feet on the hardwood floors.

"Everything okay, Bec?"

Beca shook her head with a laugh of her own, admitting, "Yeah, I just totally forgot for a second that Zeus isn't here. Old habits."

Chloe nodded her understanding. "I'm sure he's being spoiled rotten by your parents."

"You mean Sheila," Beca corrected, knowing that although her father had warmed up to the dog, he was still holding a small grudge over his favorite pair of shoes.

Beca locked the door and hung her keys on the hook, before ditching her heels and following Chloe down the hall to the bedroom. She could feel the awkwardness coming back with each step, almost wishing they'd taken things farther back in the bathroom when the heat of the moment had distracted her from all the overthinking and insecurities.

She stopped just inside the door, meeting Chloe's gaze as the redhead studied her.

"Bec, we don't have to do anything," Chloe said slowly, moving backwards to sit on the bed and remove her heels. "Though I'm not sure exactly why you're freaking out right now… it's nothing we haven't done before."

Beca gave a small smile at the light teasing in Chloe's tone, knowing the truth behind her words. In all honesty, she wasn't really sure herself why she was hesitating.

"I do want to Chlo," she said weakly, feeling a little frustrated. "I guess… I don't know, it's been a long time and what if it's bad? What if it's not the same? I'm still recovering and I don't look like I did before and…"

Chloe quickly stood up, cutting her off. "Bec, stop," she said softly, moving to stand in front of the brunette. "So we're a little out of practice… that's an easy thing to fix. As for the rest, why don't we take it slow and I'll show you exactly why you have nothing to be insecure about. Okay?"

Beca nodded, still feeling a little hesitant as Chloe added, "And if you want to stop… we'll stop."

"Okay," Beca answered, and she forced the doubts down and out of her mind as Chloe stepped closer, hands coming to rest on her hips.

Chloe grinned, "I had so much fun with you tonight, and I'm beyond happy for Jess and Ashley, but I seriously can't wait to marry you."

Beca rolled her eyes at the cheesiness of her words. "I guess I'm excited to marry you too," she finally admitted, rewarded with her favorite Chloe smile.

Chloe slipped her hands around Beca's neck letting her arms rest on her shoulders, saying, "I know we haven't talked about this yet, but I'd really like to take your last name."

"Really?" Beca asked, the name "Chloe Mitchell" immediately flashing through her head, finding she liked it. A lot. Enough to feel a pull of satisfaction deep inside.

Chloe murmured, "Mmm hmm," leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. "Yeah, really. Is that okay with you?"

Beca nodded, moving her hands to Chloe's hips and leaned up to kiss her again. She was shocked at how one simple statement from Chloe had completely gotten her out of her own head, the nervousness and anxiousness fading though not completely gone. Chloe kissed her slowly, taking her time in contrast to the frenzied session that took place earlier against the bathroom door.

Beca felt the heat return, different from before but with no less passion and desire. Chloe's hands worked their way into her hair and before long, Beca was pushing her towards the bed with only one thing in mind. She needed to touch Chloe again, treasuring the feeling and not wanting to risk it disappearing. Beca pulled back a fraction to find the side zipper of Chloe's dress, placing kisses across her collarbone as she pulled it down.

Chloe stepped out of the dress and moved it aside out of the way with her foot as Beca stared appreciatively at her fiancé's body, now clad only in matching blue lingerie.

Chloe let her look, waiting until Beca met her eyes before saying softly, "I've waited a long time for you to look at me like that again."

Beca hummed, leaning in and placing a kiss below her ear. "Like how?" she asked, knowing the answer but wanting Chloe to say the words anyways.

"Like you used to before," Chloe breathed, as Beca's lips trailed down her neck to her chest. "Your eyes darken to this gorgeous midnight blue, and it's like…"

Beca smiled as she trailed off, murmuring, "Like you're literally the only one in the world for me. Like I need you more than anything else in this moment."

"Yes," Chloe whispered, as Beca's hands slipped around, fumbling a bit as she blindly unhooked the strapless bra before moving to cup her breasts. "God... I've missed this."

"I know." Beca could feel the urgency radiating off her body, knowing that as much as she wanted to take her time, Chloe needed her now. Chloe was whimpering as she continued to touch her, straightening up to kiss her lips again.

As Beca made to push Chloe back onto the bed, the redhead suddenly pulled back. "Wait," Chloe breathed, reaching for Beca's dress. "This needs to come off. I need to feel you… all of you."

Beca understood what she meant, turning to allow Chloe to pull down the zipper of her dress and slide it off. Chloe's eyes darkened even more as she looked at Beca, pulling her quickly into another kiss and letting her hands roam over the exposed skin.

This time Chloe let Beca push her gently onto the bed, and the brunette quickly followed until they were flush against each other. Beca felt her bra loosen, sitting up astride Chloe's hips as she pulled it off and tossed it to the floor. Her hands slid up Chloe's stomach back to her breasts, leaning down and kissing between them.

"Bec…" Chloe whispered, threading her hands through Beca's hair and pushing her gently lower.

Beca fought back a chuckle at Chloe's impatience, knowing how long her fiancé has waited, and kissed down her stomach, the only thought in her mind was how much she wanted this too. She hooked her fingers in the dark blue lace and dragged it slowly down Chloe's legs, looking up to see the redhead leaning up on her elbows watching every move.

After tossing it to the floor, Beca quickly moved back up Chloe's body and kissed her firmly. Her tongue teased and twisted around Chloe's as she slid her hand tentatively between her fiancé's legs.

Chloe immediately pulled back from her lips at the first press of Beca's fingers, her hips canting up seeking more. Beca's heart beat faster at the redhead's responsiveness, reminded again how long Chloe had waited for her and how much she needed this. Her touch remained hesitant until Chloe's hand finally covered her own, guiding Beca and adding pressure exactly where she needed it.

"So…" Beca started to say, but Chloe cut her off.

"Don't," Chloe breathed, interrupting her. "Just touch me."

Beca nodded and pressed her lips to Chloe's neck below her ear as she slid a finger inside her, murmuring, "I love you."

"Oh… God, Bec, yes…" Chloe moaned, her hand moving slightly up to grip Beca's wrist and buried the other in the hair at the base of her neck. "I, ah… love you too. So much…"

Beca could feel just how much Chloe needed her. The redhead was clinging to her body, refusing to let her pull away and instead trying to hold her closer. She added a second finger, letting the heel of her hand rub against her clit with each thrust. Chloe's reaction was loud, louder than Beca was expecting since she'd been relatively quiet until then.

"Bec… fuck, Bec you feel so good," Chloe whimpered, her voice a little breathless.

Beca felt a mixture of relief and pride at her words, reassured that yes Chloe definitely still found her attractive and yes, she could still give her fiancé everything she needed. Making up her mind, Beca trailed her lips down Chloe's chest, the redhead confirming her instinct was correct when she felt light pressure on the top of her head, urging her lower.

Beca smirked at the feeling, moving down and slipping Chloe's leg over her shoulder as her tongue pressed against her clit. Chloe's hips bucked against her mouth as Beca's tongue matched the rhythm of her fingers, her other hand splayed out over Chloe's hip trying to hold her steady, before eventually giving up and simply holding on.

Chloe's moans above her grew steadily higher and louder until she came undone with a loud cry of Beca's name, her fingers still twisted in brunette locks. Beca slowed as she came down, placing kisses back up her body until reaching her lips. Chloe pulled her down into a passionate kiss, rolling them over to straddle her hips.

"I love you," Chloe murmured, kissing her again. "I love you, and I missed you, and I really, really, missed this."

Beca nodded, kissing her back as heat shot through her at the way Chloe was pressing against her. "Me too, babe," she managed between kisses, her hands pulling Chloe's hips down harder.

"Do you want me, Bec?" Chloe asked, now purposefully grinding down against her lacy underwear, making Beca wonder why the hell she was still wearing any.

"Yes," Beca breathed, moving her hips in time with Chloe's trying to find some relief.

Before she knew it, Chloe had shifted enough to quickly strip off her thong and slide a hand between her legs, her eyes rolling back as pleasure flooded her. Nothing else mattered except the way Chloe was touching her and kissing her and the fact that she wanted it more than anything. Beca honestly couldn't remember the last time she wanted to be touched, and her emotions quickly got the better of her in the moment when tears flooded her eyes seconds before a final press of Chloe's fingers had her crashing over the edge.

Chloe must have heard something or sensed something was off because in seconds she had Beca in her arms, pressing kisses to her face and asking her what was wrong.

"Nothing," Beca mumbled, feeling stupid all over again as she swiped at her eyes. "I don't know… I guess I missed this more than I realized. I forgot how amazing it is to be this intimate with you, and how much I need it."

Chloe smiled, pulling her closer. "That's a good thing, baby."

After a few quiet minutes, Beca added, "And as crazy as it sounds, I think I forgot how awesome sex is."

Chloe's raised eyebrow made her chuckle, a little surprised at herself for saying that out loud.

"Sex in general, or sex with me?" Chloe asked, poking her in the side.

Beca grinned, answering, "I mean, are we getting technical? Ow… okay, I was kidding," Beca cowered with her arms over her head as Chloe swatted at her a few more times. "Of course I meant sex with you, babe!"

"Uh huh, that's what I thought," Chloe said confidently, moving to straddle Beca's hips when she rolled onto her back.

Beca slid her hands over Chloe's thighs, her eyes lingering on her breasts before meeting her fiancé's gaze. "You're stunning," she mumbled, her hands coming to rest on Chloe's hips, gently pulling herself up to kiss her.

Chloe kissed her softly, over and over before pressing her back down against the mattress. "How're you feeling, baby?"

Beca smiled up at her, answering, "Amazing. Why… are you tired?"

Chloe slowly shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip until Beca realized what she wanted. Grinning, she rolled them over so she was on top of Chloe, hips resting comfortably between her legs.

"Ready for round two?"

The gleam in Chloe's eyes left no doubt in Beca's mind that by morning round two would seem like a distant memory.

* * *

_(Chloe's POV)_

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Chloe shot straight up in bed at the loud noise, looking around in the dark for the source until Beca's hand shot out from under the comforter and slammed down on top of the small radio, shutting off the alarm. It took her a moment to remember why they'd set the alarm in the first place, breaking into a smile at the thought of seeing her parents that evening for dinner. She looked over at Beca, who had promptly burrowed back beneath the covers and was softly snoring again.

A quick glance at the clock told her they had a few hours before they needed to leave, but she could think of a better way to spend it than with Beca passed out beside her. Chloe slipped her hand under the sheet and trailed her fingertips over Beca's back, grinning and the low hum in response.

"Baby," Chloe said softly, leaning down to place a kiss over the flowers tattooed on the brunette's shoulder. "Time to get up."

"No," Beca mumbled, her face pressed into the pillow. "We purposely set that alarm with plenty of time."

Chloe agreed, "Yes, but I thought maybe we could use that extra time more… productively?"

Beca flopped over onto her back, prompting Chloe to quickly move and grin at her incredulous expression. "Seriously? How? Just how? We literally went all night… and that's not an exaggeration."

Chloe shrugged, shifting closer and sliding her leg between Beca's, propping herself up on an elbow. "Technically we have a lot of catching up to do," she argued playfully, her hand now tracing over the brunette's stomach before drifting lower. "Can I convince you I'm right? Maybe in the shower?"

Beca's eyes darkened at those words, and Chloe knew she'd won. Beca made no move to leave the bed though, so Chloe let her fingertips touch and tease as she leaned over and connected their lips.

Chloe wasn't sure she'd ever been more grateful for anything in her life as she was last night at the reception when Beca confessed her feelings. She'd been seriously starting to doubt Beca would ever want to have sex again, and even if she was being completely honest when she'd said she would have married the brunette anyways, she was extremely thankful that their future sex life was alive and well. It wasn't just about sex; it was the intimacy and physical connection that was so important to her. Chloe needed it, and Beca had been right in her assertions that Chloe needed it.

She was momentarily surprised as Beca pulled back, shooting her a cheeky smirk. "I thought you said something about a shower?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow, accepting the challenge. "I did, didn't I?" she replied with a laugh, throwing the covers aside and climbing out of bed.

She felt Beca's eyes on her as she crossed the room and entered the bathroom, knowing the brunette wouldn't be far behind her. Chloe missed this part too, the fun teasing part of their relationship that had, in a way, gotten sick along with Beca. Everything had been so serious for so long that it was nice to have these playful moments again.

Chloe opened the glass door and turned on the water, waiting a minute and testing it with her hand to see if it was hot. She smiled as Beca's arms wrapped around her stomach and lips pressed a kiss to her shoulder. They stepped under the warm water, and Chloe barely waited for Beca to wet her hair before kissing her under the spray. She regretted for a moment not being at home in their spacious shower stall with the built in bench, but the thought was pushed from her mind as Beca pinned her to the wall and dropped to her knees.

* * *

Chloe fought back a laugh at the way her mother had immediately pulled Beca into a tight hug the second the door opened, exchanging glances with her father who was standing a few feet back in the hallway.

"Oh Beca, we were thrilled to hear your good news!" Grace exclaimed, refusing to let her go.

Chloe shook her head, finally intervening. "And it'll all have been for nothing if you suffocate her, mom."

Grace finally stepped back, giving Chloe a look. "I'm allowed to hug my future daughter-in-law and celebrate the fact she has beaten cancer. Isn't that right, Beca?"

Beca nodded, turning and shooting Chloe a sly smirk. "Of course, Grace. I was pretty happy to get the news, too."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at her fiancé as they exchanged a silent challenge back and forth. She knew Beca was well aware of what she was doing, and it wasn't her fault that she got along so well with her parents. Truth be told, Chloe was over the moon at how much her family loved Beca, and how much Beca had grown to love them in return. It was a different family dynamic than what she was used to, but the brunette had adapted quickly and really did appreciate the loving vibe that surrounded the Beale's.

Her mom finally moved around Beca and hugged her too, saying, "Chloe we're thrilled for both of you. And we're so happy you two were able to come over for dinner tonight. We miss you."

Chloe returned the hug, squeezing a little tighter than normal, realizing she did miss seeing her parents more often than a couple times a year. "Thanks, mom. I miss you too."

Chloe stepped back to see Beca chatting easily with her father, the pair of them already walking down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Hi dad," she called sarcastically, exchanging smiles and head shakes with her mother as he gave a careless wave of his hand without turning around.

"It's good they get along," Grace said thoughtfully, closing the door behind Chloe. "Beca will fit in just fine with all those boys."

Chloe nodded in agreement as her mom slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, she will."

They entered the kitchen and Chloe's eyes went wide at the sight of Beca sipping on a bottle of beer alongside her father.

"Beca? What are you doing? Dad, she can't have alcohol yet!" Chloe shot her father an accusatory stare.

Beca's eyes went wide, holding one hand up and the bottle in the other so she could see the label. "Babe, it's root beer."

Chloe sighed and ran her fingers through her hair as Beca continued on, "The doc advised me to stay away from alcohol for a while... possibly ever which would suck."

"But not as much as your cancer coming back," Chloe butted in, reminding her of the potential consequences.

Beca chuckled, nodding at Chloe. "Yeah, not as much as that. So he said eventually I could probably drink again, a beer here and there in moderation, but I have a feeling someone will keep me sober for the rest of my life."

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, retorting sarcastically, "Forgive me for wanting to keep you from having to go through treatment again. I'm a horrible person."

"Not even a beer?" Beca sighed, glancing at Christian who gave her a sympathetic look. "What kinda life is that?"

Christian opened his mouth, but Grace quickly cut him off, "Christian, not a word."

He shrugged, instead taking a sip from his own bottle. "Okay dear. Shall we sit down?"

Grace smiled and nodded, leading the way into the family room. Chloe flicked Beca's ear as she passed in front of her, murmuring, "You're an asshole... you know that right?"

"Yep," Beca answered cheerfully, rubbing at her ear as she sat down on the loveseat opposite Chloe's parents.

"As long as you're aware," Chloe replied, breaking into a helpless smile as she sat down beside the brunette.

After a they were all settled, Grace could help but ask, "How was the wedding?! I bet Jess and Ashley were just beautiful."

"It was gorgeous," Chloe gushed, shooting Beca a quick smile when the brunette quietly laced their fingers together. "We had a great time, and getting to spend a little extra time in Nashville doesn't hurt."

Grace beamed at them from her place beside Christian on the opposite couch. "Chloe that's wonderful. We're thrilled for Jess and Ashley. You've known them a long time... I remember when you brought Jess home for Thanksgiving your freshman year when she couldn't afford to go home. Sweet girl."

Chloe nodded, glancing at Beca before saying, "We had a lot of fun, but it only made me more excited for our wedding this fall."

"This fall?!" Grace exclaimed, her eyes widening. "You hadn't told me you picked out a date. When is it?"

"We haven't," Beca hurriedly answered, and Chloe struggled to read the look on her face. "Just thinking that sometime this fall would be good. A small ceremony and reception for close friends and family, somewhere private."

Christian spoke up, commenting, "I can see why you'd want to find a private location. Have you thought about a destination wedding? It could work well, especially if It's mostly family."

Chloe's mind immediately went to their little slice of heaven in Mexico, although their time there seemed like a lifetime ago. She loved that the place was their spot though, and wasn't sure about the idea of bringing both of their families along for the ride.

Thankfully she didn't have to answer, as Beca said, "We were actually thinking of having our backyard nicely decorated, since it'll only be about twenty or thirty people."

"What?" Grace asked, her eyes moving between the two women. "That small? That's not even our whole family."

Chloe felt Beca squeeze her hand, quickly answering, "Mom, the whole family isn't invited. Just immediate family and close friends. We want to keep it small and private."

Chloe waited patiently while the emotions flitted across her mother's face, until finally Grace asked, "What else do you have planned?"

"Well, we..." Chloe began, only for her father to cough and interrupt her.

"Sorry, Chlo, I was just wondering if I could speak privately with Beca for a few minutes while you fill your mom in on all the wedding excitement," Christian asked smoothly, his face giving nothing away as to his intentions.

Chloe glanced at Beca, who shrugged and stood up from the couch, and watched the brunette follow her father out of the room. She smiled when their muffled chatter filtered back into the room, not able to make anything of it but glad that it seemed to be a friendly conversation.

"What was that about?" Chloe asked, looking back at her mom.

"Who knows," Grace answered, moving to sit beside her on the couch. "Now, tell me more about this wedding! How can I help?"

* * *

"It sounds lovely sweetie, honestly," Grace smiled, reaching out and clasping her hand.

Chloe nodded, sighing in relief that her mom wasn't pushing her to invite more of the family. "Yeah, I mean, Beca's life is really public, so I know it'll mean a lot to her to keep things likes this small and private."

"It makes complete sense. I'm not sure how she does it... with the fans and reporters always around."

"She keeps out of the spotlight as much as possible," Chloe shrugged. "Which has been pretty easy for a while with her treatment. I wonder if that will change now that she can go out more."

Grace stood up, saying, "Only time will tell. Gracious, look at the time. Shall we go find your father and Beca and decide where to go for dinner?"

Chloe's eyes widened as she looked at her watch, not realizing they'd been chatting alone for over an hour. She followed her mom through to her father's office, only to find the room empty. "Where are they?"

Grace thought for a moment, before a look of realization crossed her face. "I bet I know. Come on, honey."

Chloe followed Grace upstairs and down the hall towards what used to be their playroom growing up. As they neared the door, she could hear voices interspersed with laughter and a strange thwacking sound. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that met her eyes when they reached the room and Grace let her look first.

Beca was grinning with her hands in the air, standing behind a ping pong table while her father was bending over to retrieve the ball that had fallen to the floor.

"I've got you on the ropes now," Beca teased, as Christian righted himself and tossed her the ball to serve.

"We'll see about that," he retorted, flipping the paddle from hand to hand.

Chloe hid behind the doorframe mostly out of sight and watched the two play for a few minutes, realizing quickly that they were both terrible at ping pong. The ball rarely stayed in play for more than a couple hits back and forth, which you'd think wouldn't be the case considering the amount of trash talking being thrown around the room.

She leaned out of the doorframe and turned to look at her mom, whispering, "When did you get a ping pong table?"

Grace sighed, answering, "Your father wanted to redo that room and turn it into a relaxation thing or a hobby or something. I let him buy that table and now he's up here all the time when he's not working. I don't have the heart to tell him he's awful. There's a pool table underneath the ping pong court, but he's even worse at that."

Chloe giggled at the look on her mom's face, spinning back to spy on the pair again just in time to see Beca crumple in defeat as she missed her swing.

"Damnit," she swore, though her grin remained in place. "Think we have time for another... oh, never mind." Beca's eyes had caught a glimpse of her in the doorway. "Hi Chloe... Grace... you found us."

Chloe entered the room, her mom following behind, and raised an eyebrow at her father. "This was what you needed to speak to Beca about?"

Christian looked guilty as he admitted, "Well, we had an understanding back there that if the talk turned to wedding stuff we would bail and play ping pong instead. I held up my end, and she held up her end by being worse than me and giving me some confidence."

"Hey! I won twice," Beca cut in, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll get better with practice."

Grace snorted, "That's what Christian keeps saying."

Christian shot her a wounded look. "Dear, I've just beaten Beca three out of five. I think that shows wonderful improvement."

"I'm sure you'll be making the Olympic team in no time, dear," Grace said, her tone clearly patronizing. "In the meantime, come on downstairs and we'll pick a place for dinner."

Chloe laughed at her dad's expression and turned to follow her mom downstairs, hearing Beca's voice behind her.

"Don't worry, Christian. When we get to the Olympics they can stay home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: A big thanks and cheers goes out to my beta Arsto, without whom this chapter would not exist yet. She definitely kicked my butt back in gear and got me writing again. Tip of the cap to you.
> 
> Hopefully you all are still with us! We've got a few more chapters to go yet.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ATTENTION PITCHES! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Arsto here by the way, your resident dork who constantly badgers our wonderful author to update. J/k, I'm a totally understanding person who realizes people get busy and that is exactly what has happened. But alas, here we are with another LOOOONG awaited update. I'll catch you guys on the flip side... I know you wanna read... so go read............................................ No seriously, why are you still reading this note? Get to it! (Also noted: the joke's on me if you wait til the end of the chapter to go back and read this note, ha ha fun times, and for those who haven't yet started reading the chapter... WHY? It's awesome, go read! Well, I'm biased, but that's besides the point and these author's note have become total overkill for me. I should not be allowed. Hey you, you still reading my note. The one who hasn't read the chapter yet... what are you waiting for?)

Beca opened her eyes, slowly stretching as she sat up in bed and looked over to see empty space beside her. She realized her fiancé was in the shower as more of her senses came into focus, the sound of running water and muffled singing finally registering in her foggy brain. She yawned and let herself fall back against the pillow, debating whether or not to get up and see if Chloe needed any help. 

A grin crossed her lips as she thought about the previous night, and the one before that, and basically almost every night since Jess and Ashley's wedding. It had been about a month since they'd rekindled their sex life and Beca was relieved at how quickly they'd found their stride, Chloe's claims they were making up for lost time never failing to make her smile. The lingering awkwardness disappeared after the first week or so, helped along by Beca's continued recovery and renewed confidence. 

Making up her mind, Beca climbed out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom, smiling at Chloe's voice rising louder above the er. The thought crossed her mind for the millionth time that it was a crime she hadn't gotten the redhead in the studio yet, making a quick mental note to work on a song specifically for that purpose. 

Filing that away for later, she opened the door to their spacious shower and slipped inside, greeted instantly by Chloe's beaming smile.

"Hey baby."

Beca still got butterflies when Chloe looked at her like that, amazed at how lucky she was to have the redhead in her life.

"Hey Chlo. Thought you might need some help."

Chloe nodded, stepping closer to place a kiss to her lips before guiding her under the hot spray.  Beca sighed happily as the water hit her, Chloe pressing against her from behind at the same time. Arms slipped around her waist as  Beca wiped the water away from her eyes, leaning back into Chloe's embrace. 

Beca relaxed into Chloe's touch as her hands wandered, tilting her head as her fiancé began trailing kisses along her shoulder. 

It had been a slow recovery process, but Beca was doing well and Dr. Morris had given them nothing but positive updates with each check in. She was gaining weight back and feeling more and more like her old self with each passing day. A week ago had been the first morning that Beca had actually smiled at her reflection in the mirror, before of course tearing up at the emotions coursing through her. Chloe had heard the sniffles and rushed to her side, only for them both to end up sniffly and teary-eyed and hugging for an extended amount of time in relief and happiness in the middle of their bathroom.

Chloe's lips moved up her neck as her hands slid lower, prompting Beca to reach back and anchor her fingers in the redhead's hair. Fingers teased between her legs until her sharp breaths turned to moans, lifting a foot up onto the built in bench to give Chloe more room to work. Chloe took full advantage and Beca felt her legs go weak as a finger slipped inside her, quickly followed by a second.

"Fuck, Chlo," she hissed, gripping the hair at the base of Chloe's neck tighter. 

Chloe's lips never hesitated, roaming over her neck and shoulder with the occasional sharper nip, her fingers steadily driving Beca higher.

Beca let out a louder moan at the sudden curl of her fingers, hissing, "Yes… right there, babe." 

She felt Chloe's smirk against her skin before losing all train of thought as her fingers curled again, brushing that spot inside her and bringing her right to the brink.

Chloe murmured in her ear, "Fuck... Come for me, Bec."

Beca's orgasm came crashing over her with a loud moan of Chloe's name, sinking back into her fiancé's embrace as her words pushed her over the edge. There was something about knowing Chloe took pleasure in her pleasure that pushed Beca past the point of no return. Chloe had figured it out early on and used it to her advantage often, not that Beca minded at all. 

Beca slowly stood back upright, spinning in Chloe's arms and kissing her firmly. Her arms hooked around Chloe's neck and she pulled the redhead in close, their tongues tangling playfully as she stepped them back under the spray.

"I thought I was supposed to be helping you," Beca teased, sliding a leg between Chloe's so they were completely pressed together.

Chloe shrugged, not looking upset at all as she answered, "What can I say, baby. I can't help myself when it comes to you. My future wife is totes sexy."

Beca bit her lip to keep from rolling her eyes, letting her gaze wander over Chloe's body, saying, "You're lucky you're that pretty."

"I think you like it when I say totes," Chloe shot back with a wink.

"Nope," Beca retorted, shaking her head. "Definitely not," she repeated, her eyes lingering on Chloe's chest. "But I am glad that you're still confident about… all this," she said, her hands moving up Chloe's stomach to cup her breasts. 

Chloe's breath shuddered at her touch, shifting forward closer to the brunette. "I said that to you," she realized when their eyes finally met.

Beca smirked, nodding, "Yep, and it's just as true now as it was then."

"Flattery will get you anything, Mitchell."

"Good to know," Beca replied, leaning in and covering Chloe's lips with her own.

* * *

"Are you sure we have to do this today?" 

Beca couldn't help the grin that appeared as Chloe's face morphed into a frustrated expression. It wasn't her fault that Chloe was super sensitive about their wedding, making it even easier than usual for Beca to get under her skin. However, there was a little truth to her question. This time she was hopeful Chloe wouldn't mind putting the errands off for a day or two. 

Chloe stared at her, eyes narrowing as she answered, "Yes, I'm sure. Bec, we can't put this stuff off much longer. You promised." 

Beca nodded, knowing that was true. She had absolutely promised Chloe that they would plan their wedding together. The problem was she had found an artist to work with for one of her songs and had accidentally reserved the studio for that afternoon to take a first pass at the vocals. 

 "I forgot you made those appointments and booked time in the studio with Sia for today and tomorrow afternoon. Her schedule is insane and she agreed to come here for a couple of days to lay down vocals. It's saving me a trip to LA or New York," Beca explained, shooting her fiancé a hopeful look. 

Chloe looked torn and ran a hand through her hair at the reason, finally shaking her head and saying, "Ugh, fine. Go record your next chart topper with Sia. You're lucky it's summer and instead of classes I have endless free time during the week," she added with her finger pointing at Beca's face, a smile breaking out onto her own. 

"You're the best fiancé ever!" Beca replied, moving past Chloe's finger to wrap her in a hug. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" 

Chloe mumbled, "Nothing. You don't deserve me at all, you workaholic." 

Beca chuckled, pressing a kiss to Chloe's neck. "I can always reschedule, you know. This stuff is important to me, too." 

"And by this stuff... you mean our wedding?" Chloe teased, stepping back and shooting her a look. 

"Yeah, exactly," Beca nodded. "Seriously, Chlo. I can move the sessions if you want me to." 

Chloe shook her head no, lacing her fingers with Beca's. "No, really Bec, it's fine. I get that your job involves celebrities with crazy schedules and you'll have to cater to that sometimes. And honestly, I'm just glad it's an option." 

Beca sighed and pulled Chloe into another hug, this one slower and more intentional. "Me too, Chlo," she whispered, knowing that it wasn't too long ago that they weren't sure if Beca would ever go back to work, or how much longer she'd be around at all. She knew that things were going well with her recovery, and it was easy to forget how hard it was on both of them for a long time. 

Chloe let out a small laugh and said, "As long as you don't leave me standing up there alone... you won't get off the hook so easily for that." 

Beca grinned, moving to press a kiss to her lips. "Deal. I wouldn't miss our wedding for anything. Someone might steal you away, looking all gorgeous up there dressed in white." 

"They can try..." Chloe trailed off, her hands slipping around Beca's waist. "But I'm kinda in love with someone else. Someone who ditches me for famous artists and leaves me to wedding plan by myself." 

"She sounds horrible," Beca commented, earning a poke to her side. "Why the hell would you want to marry her?" 

Chloe pretended to think for a moment before finally answering, "Well, I'm really only in it for the sex, but I was honest about that from day one so that should count for something." 

Beca chuckled and shook her head, responding, "Now I know that's not true. Though I'm sure much worse things have been said about me. Do you want me to help more with the planning?" 

Chloe shrugged, answering, "I know it's not really your thing, and that's fine. I don't mind it, as long as you don't feel left out or anything." 

"No, I'm good," Beca said, before adding, "Except I want to go cake tasting. And food tasting. Have you done that already?" 

Chloe laughed, rolling her eyes at the brunette. "No, I figured you'd want in on anything that had to do with food." 

"Damn right," Beca affirmed, her eyes going wide as she checked her watch. "Shit, I gotta go babe. I need to be at the studio in an hour." After thinking for a moment, she looked at Chloe and asked, "Want to come? I'm sure Sia won't mind." 

Chloe looked torn as she considered the offer, before shaking her head no. "I wish baby, but there are a few things I really need to do today. Rain check?" 

Beca nodded, leaning in for a quick kiss. "Sure thing. I'll text you later?" 

"Sounds good." 

Beca kissed her once more, stepping closer until she was pressed against Chloe with her hands resting on her hips.  

"I love you," Chloe murmured, stealing one last kiss before Beca spun around and headed for the door. 

Beca turned around, smiling and walking backwards the last few steps until she reached the door. "Love you too." 

* * *

"Chlo?" 

Beca glanced around the dark house, wondering where her fiancé was. From the silence she assumed Sheila had successfully stolen Zeus for the evening, at her request, and crossed the main room to set the grocery bags and the bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter. She padded gently down the hall and peeked into their bedroom, holding back a laugh at the sight of Chloe passed out face down on her pillow in the center of the bed.  

She quietly shut the door to let Chloe sleep a little longer, moving back into the kitchen. Beca began pulling ingredients out of the reusable bags Chloe insisted they use. She searched through the cabinets until she found a vase for the flowers, clipping the stems and setting them in water. It had been a spur of the moment purchase. Beca couldn't resist buying the gorgeous bouquet of lilies, knowing they were Chloe's favorite. 

There was something incredibly therapeutic about cooking, and Beca knew it was just one more thing she missed more than she'd realized. Food had been a point of contention between them during her treatment as Beca hadn't had much of an appetite, the sores in her mouth making it difficult to eat even on the rare occasion she was hungry. Now though, she put some music on low and moved smoothly around the kitchen, singing softly as she chopped vegetables and tossed them into the hot pan. There was something extra satisfying about the resulting sizzling sound. 

Her plan to surprise Chloe with dinner took a slight detour when the redhead appeared out of their bedroom, a blanket wrapped snugly around her shoulders. 

"Bec?" 

Beca spun around, feeling her heart beat a little faster at the sight of her fiancé. Chloe was always stunning to her, but there was something different about seeing her dressed down with her hair in a messy bun. Beca wouldn't trade that easy smile for anything in the world. 

"Hey." Beca glanced back at the stove, saying, "I made dinner." 

Chloe shuffled over to her, hands still holding the corners of the blanket as she wrapped her arms around Beca's stomach. "Smells amazing. We haven't had fajitas in a while." 

Beca nodded, leaning back into the warmth of Chloe's body. "Yeah, I was in the mood and they're easy." 

Chloe kissed her shoulder, murmuring, "I remember the first time you made me fajitas..." 

Beca's mouth went dry as she trailed off, leaving the thought open ended in favor of kissing up her neck. She remembered too well the first time she'd really cooked for Chloe, and how they'd ended up eating cold fajitas and rice well past dinner time. 

"Yeah?" Beca asked weakly, setting the tongs down and placing her hands on the counter. "That was a long time ago." 

Chloe hummed in agreement, reaching between Beca and the stove to turn off the burner. "Do you remember?" 

Beca's breath hitched, closing her eyes when Chloe's hands slipped under her shirt and her lips reached her ear. "Umm... maybe... maybe you could remind me?" 

Chloe didn't answer until Beca slowly turned her head. Their lips connected as Chloe's hands dropped the blanket to undo the brunette's belt and tug at the button of her jeans. 

* * *

"Bec." 

"No, Chloe." 

"But, Bec..." 

Beca raised her eyebrow at the redhead's whine, pointing her tongs threateningly at her across the island. "Stay over there until I'm finished." 

Chloe bit down on her bottom lip, looking every bit like she was plotting something. "You're not following what happened the first time," she accused, her tone playful. 

"That's because the first time we ate cold fajitas and then you tricked me into playing the piano for you. Neither of which is going to happen tonight," Beca countered, moving the fajitas around in the pan as she reheated them. "And you know how I feel about cold food..."  

Chloe giggled as Beca rolled her eyes, quickly shifting to pull the foil packet of tortillas from the oven and set them on the counter. 

"I like cold fajitas, actually," Chloe offered, rounding the counter to snag a piece of chicken out of the pan while Beca was distracted. 

"Hey!" 

Beca sighed, shaking her head. She flipped the burner off and handed Chloe a tortilla with a resigned look. "At least they're somewhat warm this time." 

Chloe ignored the tortilla and wrapped her arms around Beca's waist, placing a kiss on her lips. "I love you so much... it's kinda ridiculous." 

Beca felt the warmth spread through her in an effect only Chloe could cause. She knew exactly what the redhead meant, and couldn't picture her life without Chloe in it.  

"I love you too, Chlo," she mumbled, kissing her back. "Now eat dinner before it gets cold." 

* * *

"Shit, you have icicles for feet!" 

Beca didn't react fast enough when Chloe slid into bed beside her, tangling their legs and feet together. For her part, Chloe only giggled and clung tighter to the brunette until their shared body heat created a pocket of warmth under the covers. 

"That's what you're here for, baby." 

Beca rolled her eyes, scoffing, "To be your human heater?" 

Chloe nodded, leaning in and whispering in her ear, "You are pretty hot... and you do make me pretty hot." 

Beca swallowed hard at the way Chloe's breath tickled her ear, and at the way the redhead's hand was wandering purposefully higher up her thigh.  

Clearing her throat, she said, "Uh... you know... I had a really good session today in the studio with Sia." 

Chloe leaned back to look at her, asking, "Yeah? Did you get the vocals down?" 

"Almost," Beca replied, relaxing a little as Chloe's hand found a comfortable resting place on her hip. "She's so talented it's crazy. I'm really glad Alecia hooked us up for this song. Her voice really brings it to life and draws out so much emotion." 

It had been a stroke of good fortune that Beca decided to send her newest song to Alecia for an honest opinion. Not only had the woman loved it, but she threw out the suggestion that she knew who could really crush the vocals if Beca were open to letting someone else record it. Beca recalled listening to Alecia spout off compliments about Sia after working with her on a track for Stargate, and finally agreed to reach out and see if she was interested. Sia had been open to hearing the track, and texted Beca less than ten minutes after receiving the demo version that she was in.

"That's awesome, Bec," Chloe said happily. "I can't wait to hear it. What's this one about again?" 

Beca hesitated, having purposefully kept this song to herself since it spawned from both Chloe and her cancer, topics that hit so close to home. "Uh... you know... stuff," she answered lamely. 

Chloe perked up at that answer, looking at her curiously. "Stuff?" 

"Yeah, stuff," Beca shrugged, trying to play it cool. 

Chloe studied her for a minute, before smirking. " Oh my gosh... it's about me!" 

"Seriously Beale?" Beca groaned, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. " Not everything I write is about you, you know." 

"I like my odds," Chloe countered, her face still sporting a familiar smirk. 

Beca looked over at her, deciding instantly that she didn't like how Chloe had picked up her trademark expression and was wearing it so adorably. She decided her best bet was to change the subject to one that Chloe was always willing to talk about. 

"Hey, so I'm sorry we had to reschedule the wedding planning stuff today," Beca began, barely holding back an eye roll at the way Chloe instantly lit up. "I've got a morning session with Sia, but I was thinking we could use the afternoon to go shopping for wedding bands, assuming you're still set on me wearing one." 

Chloe's eyes went from beaming to narrowing in a split second, finger pointed right at Beca as she said, "You're not getting out of wearing a wedding ring, Beca Mitchell. The whole world is going to know you're mine." 

Beca smiled, "I think the whole world already knows that, Chlo. I don't really think a ring..." 

"Drop it," Chloe interrupted her. "You're wearing a ring. Get over it." 

"Ugh, fine," Beca sighed dramatically. "Do I at least get to pick it out?" 

Chloe hummed for a moment, looking undecided. "Yes, but not if it's ugly." 

Beca shook her head in amusement, before asking, "So that's a yes to shopping for wedding bands tomorrow?" 

"Can't wait, baby," Chloe said, smoothly pressing a kiss to her lips. 

Beca deepened the kiss before rolling over on top of her fiancé. "You know," she said suggestively, her hand sliding down Chloe's stomach before creeping into her pajama pants, "A ring might get in the way of certain activities I think you're pretty fond of..." 

Chloe snaked a hand behind her neck and pulled her down into a searing kiss, finally breaking apart to say, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now... why don't you put that hand to good use." 

Beca chuckled and did as instructed, Chloe immediately pulling her into another kiss. 

* * *

Beca carefully parallel parked the car a short ways up the street from the jewelry shop where she'd purchased Chloe's engagement ring. She shut off the engine and turned to look at her fiancé, who immediately hopped out of the car. As promised, they were going wedding band shopping, and Beca was willingly going to pick out a ring to wear for the rest of her life. One of many experiences she never thought she'd have. She'd never worn a ring before, and while she wasn't thrilled about the idea of it, Chloe's excitement and enthusiasm couldn't be contained and far too much of it was rubbing off on her. 

A knock on the window startled her into motion, opening the car door as she unbuckled her seatbelt. 

"Bec! Let's go!" 

Beca shut the door and locked the car, melting a little at the smile Chloe was beaming her way. "I'm coming," she sighed, rounding the car and lacing her fingers with Chloe's. 

"Mmm, not yet, but you will be," Chloe murmured in her ear, giving her hand a squeeze. 

Beca raised an eyebrow, offering, "We could skip this whole bit and get right to that part... if you want, babe." 

Chloe shook her head, tugging Beca along the street. "You're not that lucky, Mitchell. We'll see where the chips fall after I see the wedding band you pick out for me." 

"Wait, I'm picking yours out? Does that mean you're picking mine out?" Beca felt slightly panicked at the idea. "I thought I got to pick mine?" 

"I know, but I thought this way would be more fun," Chloe said, spinning in front of her and halting their progress. "Why do you suddenly look nauseous? You don't have to..." 

Beca quickly replied, "No, it's fine... I just thought you'd want to pick yours out. And I'm not sure I trust what you'll choose for me." 

Chloe looked mock offended as they resumed their progress up the street. "That hurts, baby. You don't trust me?" 

"Do I trust you not to pick out the biggest most obvious and gaudy wedding band for me to announce to everyone I'm officially off the market?" Beca quipped sarcastically. "That's a no. Hard no." 

Chloe laughed at her as they reached the entrance to the store. "Aw, have a little faith, Becs. I wouldn't do that to you." 

Beca shot her a look, which Chloe promptly winked at before turning away from to walk inside the store. "I think you'd definitely do that to me," she mumbled once Chloe was out of earshot, pausing for a few moments before following her inside.  

She paused in the store entrance, her eyes immediately finding the redhead speaking to a salesman and staring intently into a case of rings. Before she could make her way over, a familiar face appeared beside her. 

"Ms. Mitchell, welcome back," the woman said with a warm smile. "How may I help you today?" 

Beca studied her for a moment, recognizing her as the woman who'd assisted her with Chloe's engagement ring but completely blanking on her name.  

"Uh, thanks... and it's Beca, please," she said, giving the woman a small smile and shaking her outstretched hand. 

"Beca, of course," she said smoothly.  

Beca shifted slightly, relief flooding her as the name came to her. "So, uh, Olivia right?" At the woman's smile and polite nod, she continued, "I'm here with my fiancé to pick out wedding bands."  

Olivia replied, "How wonderful. Is she meeting you..." 

Beca sighed as the woman trailed off with a curious glance around the store. "Nope, that's her over there. The redhead. She's picking out mine. It's supposed to be a surprise or something." 

"Sounds romantic. What were you thinking of for her?" 

"Uh... well, I guess I hadn't really thought about it," Beca admitted, following the woman over to a different case on the opposite side of the store from where Chloe was chattering away with her salesman. "Probably something sparkly," she added absentmindedly.  

Olivia nodded in agreement. "Well, if she liked the ring you designed then yes, I think a diamond band would match perfectly." 

Beca thought for a moment. "I'd like platinum, to match her ring. And something I can get engraved." 

"That shouldn't be too difficult at all. See anything you like?" 

Beca glanced into the case to see an assortment of diamond bands in a wide range of sizes. It took her about five seconds to decide it would be impossible to choose one without having Chloe try it on next to her ring, and ran her fingers through her hair waiting for her fiancé to finish. She didn't have to wait long, as Chloe caught her eyes and gestured for her to come here.  

"I'm being summoned," Beca said, shooting Olivia a resigned smile. "I'll be right back." 

Beca quickly crossed the store over to the case of rings Chloe was currently studying, catching the final bit of what the salesman was saying to her.  

"… happy to provide custom engraving services free of charge on any of our platinum bands." 

He smiled at Beca as she approached, not wanting to immediately look at what rings Chloe was deciding over in case she hated them all.  

"Bec, what do you think of that one?" Chloe's voice was equal parts excited and nervous, and Beca could no longer pretend they weren't standing in front of a case of wedding bands. 

She glanced down trying to pinpoint which one Chloe was talking about, praying it wasn't the two-tone gold and silver one sitting dangerously close beneath the redhead's finger. "Which one?" 

"That silver one right there. To the left of the darker silver one." 

Beca bit back a sarcastic retort, though it was difficult since every ring in the case was a shade of silver aside from a few black or gold bands. If she was right, to her surprise, Chloe had chosen a relatively simple silver band. 

Before she said anything, Chloe looked up at the man. "Can we see that one please? The platinum one with beveled edges?" 

Beca shot her fiancé a glance, though something told her she shouldn't be surprised that Chloe was informed on this subject. The man immediately nodded and reached inside the case, pulling the correct ring out at Chloe's sound of approval. 

"Whatcha think, Bec?"  

Beca reached out her hand and the man dropped the ring into her palm, again surprised at the weight of it. It wasn't super heavy, but still had a solid feel to it and would be an adjustment to her current ringless state. Lifting it up and studying it closer, Beca found she really liked the simple design while still feeling like the slightly rounded edging gave it character. 'Beveled' edges her mind corrected, letting out a small laugh at how ridiculous the thought was.  

"If you don't like it we can look for something else," Chloe said, sounding supportive. 

Beca shook her head, sliding the ring onto her finger. "No, actually... I really like it, Chlo. Maybe one that's a bit thinner would be better though," she added at how gigantic the wide band looked on her. 

Chloe beamed at her, hands coming up to her cheeks to pull her into a kiss. "Really? That's it?" 

Beca slid the band off and set it gently back on the pad for the salesman to put away. "This seems like a trick. Was I supposed to hate it?" 

"No," Chloe answered, still beaming at her. "But you've mentioned a couple times about not wearing a ring so I guess I assumed you'd put up more of a fight." 

"Ah, yeah," Beca gave her a sheepish look. "Chlo, I can't wait for you to put a ring on my finger that tells everyone else out there I'm yours. I wrote a whole song just to tell you that, but this makes it permanent." 

Beca knew that was the right thing to say when tears flooded Chloe's eyes and she was instantly pulled into a tight hug.  

"I'm so in love with you," Chloe murmured in her ear. 

Beca hummed happily against her neck, finally pulling back as Chloe wiped carefully at her eyes. "Ready to go pick out yours?" 

Chloe's eyes instantly lit up and she nodded excitedly, turning back to the case. 

"Ah, I was already working with Olivia over there... I think she has a few options you might like," Beca added, shooting the man behind the counter a somewhat apologetic look. 

Chloe followed Beca's gaze to where the woman was waiting patiently with several options already laid out on the counter. "Okay," she chirped happily, grabbing Beca's hand and leading the way across the store. 

"So, uh, Olivia this is my fiancé, Chloe Beale," Beca said when they arrived. "Chloe, this is Olivia... she helped me with your engagement ring." 

Chloe's expression shifted into one of understanding, immediately gushing, "Ohh, thank you so much! I love it... ya'll did an amazing job. It's really nice to meet you." 

"It was my pleasure, Ms. Beale," Olivia replied warmly, shaking Chloe's hand. "We're glad you like it, although most of the  credit goes to Beca. She designed it from scratch... it's an original piece with nothing else like it in the world." 

"Yes, she mentioned that," Chloe's eyebrows rose slightly at the way Olivia addressed Beca by her first name. "But thank you for making that vision a reality." 

Beca shifted awkwardly, interjecting, "Right, so, Chlo... what do you think of these? They're all platinum to match your ring, just uh... different size stones I guess." 

Olivia nodded her confirmation, going a little further to give the details on each of the options she'd laid out for Chloe to look at. Beca watched patiently as Chloe tried each one on to see how it fit with her engagement ring, going back over several options before settling on "the one." 

Beca admitted the rings side by side looked stunning, the stones in the band were perfectly sized to complement Chloe's engagement ring.  

"Whatcha think, Bec?" 

Beca snapped her head up from Chloe's hand to meet her eyes, getting lost momentarily in how blue they looked.  

"I like it. I mean, it's your decision, babe... the ring will be on your finger forever so, you're the one that has to like it," Beca mumbled, not breaking away from Chloe's stare.  

Chloe finally looked away, back down at the rings, before sliding the band off and handing it to Olivia. "That's the one," she said confidently, turning and placing a chaste kiss on Beca's lips.  

Beca blushed slightly as she said, "Alright then. That's the one. Now, uh, I need you to go away so I can have it engraved." 

"Ooh, right. I have to do yours too. Be right back." 

Beca watched Chloe return across the store and begin speaking to the salesman again, taking longer than she intended to turn back around as Olivia finished filling out a form. 

"You two seem very happy," Olivia commented with a smile, flipping the form around and pointing to a particular spot. "Here's the line for the engraving, which is of course, free of charge. We should have both rings ready in about a week, depending on what you chose, and you can pay when you pick them up." 

Beca nodded, thinking for a moment before writing something on the line and signing her name at the bottom of the form. "Okay, that sounds great. Need anything else from me?" 

"No, you're all set." 

Beca sighed in relief as they checked another item off the wedding to-do list. Thanking Olivia, she made her way back across the store to where Chloe was laughing once more with the salesman.  

"All done, babe?" Beca asked, rubbing her hand gently over Chloe's back. 

Chloe beamed at her, answering, "Almost. We just need to get your ring size." 

Beca nodded, holding her left hand out for the man to size. He studied her finger for a moment, only taking two tries to find the correct size and write it down on the form for Beca's ring. After echoing Olivia's statements that the ring would be ready in a week and they could pay when they picked them up, they walked hand in hand out of the shop and into the bright sunshine. 

* * *

"So, uh... I've been thinking about something," Beca started, glancing over at Chloe from the passenger seat of the car. 

"Mmmkay," Chloe hummed, shooting her a curious look before turning her eyes back to the road.  

Beca continued on, "Well you know I finished that song I was working on with Sia, and I'll be flying to New York Monday to start working with Taylor..." 

Chloe gently interrupted her, "Bec, I'm aware of your work schedule. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Staying in New York for a while while you work on Taylor Swift's album?" 

"No," Beca shook her head, answering immediately. "I've gotten the chance to work with some amazing artists lately and I've been struggling with this... thing... and, and I want to put on a benefit concert in Blake's name," she finally said, her stomach twisting into nervous knots as she looked for Chloe's reaction, which turned out to be a sharp glance in her direction. "And, you know, keep raising money for cancer research." 

Chloe was silent for a long minute, her only movement beyond driving was to reach over carefully to take Beca's hand, finally saying, "I think that's a great idea, Bec." 

Beca felt her whole body relax, knowing she'd been afraid to tell her fiancé after Chloe accused her of having romantic feelings toward her friend. "Really?" 

"Yeah, baby, of course," Chloe said, tilting her head as she looked back at her. "Did you not think so?" 

"No, I did, I just wasn't sure if you would," Beca mumbled, feeling suddenly guilty at thinking so little of her fiancé. 

Chloe's thoughts were apparently on the same page as she dropped Beca's hand in favor of the gear shift despite the car being an automatic.  

"I'm sorry," Beca said, just as quietly.  

Chloe opened her mouth and closed it, deciding not to follow through on her immediate response. "It was wrong of me to think that there was something more going on between you two," she finally said, with a small shake of her head. "I'm sorry, Bec. I know how important her friendship was to you during that time, and I swear, I think it's an incredible idea and I think you should do it. Would it just be you playing, or..." 

Beca grinned, shifting a little to face her. "No, that's what I'm excited about. Alecia agreed to perform, and so did Gaga. And I'm so thankful for Alecia introducing me to Sia because that track turned out so much better than if I'd done the vocals, and Sia said she'd sing as well. I'm going to ask Taylor next week in New York, but I think she'll do it if it fits with her schedule. Definitely helps she's not touring right now. And Scotty agreed to take on most of the logistics and Kommissar said the tickets would basically sell themselves." 

Beca stopped abruptly, realizing she was rambling when Chloe started to chuckle at her. "Yeah, I've been thinking about it a lot and I'd really like to do it before the end of the summer. I even called up her parents and asked them if it was okay, and of course invited them to attend when they said it was." 

After another pause, Beca added, "I've also been thinking about taking a day or two every month to visit a hospital and play music for kids with cancer. Maybe you'd want to go with me sometimes? I'd love for us to do that together." 

That must have been the final straw as she saw tears forming in Chloe's eyes, quickly reaching over and taking her hand again. 

"I think that's an amazingly wonderful selfless idea, Becs," Chloe sniffed, squeezing her hand. "Of course I would go with you." 

Beca grinned as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot, waiting until the car was off before leaning over to give Chloe a slow kiss. A knocking on the window broke them apart, Beca looking around confused until she spotted Sheila grinning at her through the passenger side window. Feeling suddenly grumpy, she flipped her off before twisting and reaching into the backseat for the wrapped package. 

Chloe's cheeks were still flushed with the slight embarrassment of getting caught as they climbed out of the car and wished Ben a happy birthday. 

Beca hugged her dad, breaking into a low chuckle at the back and forth between Chloe and Sheila. 

"How'd you get him to agree to a different restaurant? I was starting to assume I'd die in that Mexican place Beca loves, and was shocked when she told me we were going somewhere new." 

"I suggested we try something outside of our regular spots. And also, I blackmailed him... that helped." 

* * *

"How are you not more excited about this?!" 

Beca rolled her eyes at her best friend's tone, taking a sip from her coffee cup as she pushed open the door and stepped out into the warm summer day. "Because shopping is literally the worst, Stace. And this, this is basically torture." 

Stacie followed her outside, saying, "But it's your wedding, Becs! You're fucking getting married, which is super weird by the way. How are you feeling about all that?" 

"I don't know..." Beca trailed off with a shrug, looking back at her friend. "I mean, it's Chloe. She's the one. Is it... is it really weird?" 

"Yeah, but like, only because it's you and I never thought you'd get married," Stacie answered, grinning at her. "I mean, it's weird in a good way. I'm really happy for you, Bec... and Chloe is great. You're not gonna do better than her." 

Beca shook her head, agreeing, "Yeah, no, she's one of a kind. I can't believe she picked me." 

Stacie rolled her eyes at that, saying pointedly, "Give yourself a little credit there, you're kinda awesome. And the important thing is that she picked you before you got all famous, so you know she's not in it for that. Speaking of, are you gonna make her sign a pre-nup?" 

Beca frowned at that question, looking down at the ground in thought. She honestly hadn't considered a pre-nup for a second, and the idea left a sour taste in her mouth. 

"Uh, I hadn't thought about it, but no, I'm not," Beca answered, turning away from the skeptical look on Stacie's face. "Dude, don't look at me like that. She coulda totally bailed when I got cancer, and instead she put up with all my horribleness." 

"True," Stacie agreed, wrapping an arm around Beca's shoulders. "You were super bitchy for a long time." 

Beca reached up and flicked Stacie's ear, retorting, "At least I had a good reason." 

They were both silent for a moment before Beca said, "It's not about the money." 

"I know, Bec," Stacie replied, her voice equally quiet. "I don't even know why I asked... I already knew the answer." 

Beca kicked at a rock on the ground. "The money didn't make me any happier without her. None of it really mattered when we were broken up. I never thought I'd get married either, but when I talk about it she lights up like the sun. I really fucking love her, Stace." 

Stacie grinned again and wrapped the brunette in a hug, lifting her off the ground. "Damn you're whipped! It's so cute, Mitchell!" 

"Argghh, put me down, Godzilla!" 

Stacie dropped her instantly, and Beca barely managed to stay upright. 

"Okay, okay, but you know the twin terrors don't call me that anymore, right?" Stacie asked, a smug look on her face. 

Beca's eyebrows rose in surprise, asking, "Really? What do they call you now?" 

Stacie chuckled, answering, "My name. Now that I'm in college and out of the house and they're teenagers I've magically become the coolest sister ever who lets them come visit and escape mean Mom and Dad." 

"You let them visit you? At your apartment?" Beca asked, her voice incredulous. "Are you insane?" 

"No, they're actually kinda cool now. They're discovering girls," Stacie laughed. "Plus they idolize Nick, even though he also terrifies them." 

Beca nodded, completely understanding that. "How is Nick? You guys still pretending to not date?" 

Stacie shot her a look. "We're not dating." 

"Yeah, okay," Beca snorted. "Whatever you say. What are you going to do next spring when you both graduate college and he ships off wherever the Army sends him?" 

"Crossing that bridge when we get there," Stacie replied swiftly. 

"Cross what bridge?" 

Beca spun around with a smile and found herself face to face with Sheila. 

"Hey, kid," the blonde said, pulling her into a hug. "Hi Stacie." 

"Hey Sheila," Stacie said, waiting her turn for a hug. 

Beca answered her question as the pair hugged, "Cross the bridge of admitting that Stace likes Nick as wayyyyy more than a friend... preferably before the Army ships him off somewhere." 

Sheila took on an understanding look as she stepped back from Stacie. "Is this why you invited me for coffee? Relationship advice?" 

Stacie cut in smoothly, "Nope. We're not here for me at all. We're here for Beca." 

Beca sighed as Sheila turned to her. "Ugh, okay, so the wedding is coming up and since Chlo won't let me wear jeans... I need help finding a dress or whatever." 

Sheila's eyes lit up with excitement, though her tone was scolding when she finally spoke. "Beca, you cannot wear jeans to your wedding. And I'm pretty sure somewhere in there was a proposition to go wedding dress shopping!" 

Stacie clapped her hands happily, nodding in agreement. "I seriously can't wait to get Beca into a wedding dress." 

"Yeah... I'm calling this off. Let's go back into Starbucks and talk more about Stacie's inability to commit," Beca said, already turning back towards the door. 

"Oh no you don't," Stacie grabbed her and swung her back around, tugging her down the street with Sheila quick to help. "Chloe said you can't put it off any longer and I promised her we wouldn't quit today until we found you a dress." 

Beca quirked an eyebrow, retorting, "Is that so? Well I promise you that if you just let me go right now we don't ever have to speak of this again, including to Chloe, and I'll find a dress on my own. Deal?" 

"Not on your life, Mitchell," Stacie laughed. "I'd rather be on your bad side over Chloe's any day. Let's go." 

* * *

It was hopeless. 

Beca slumped down in the comfortable chair as Sheila and Stacie exited the dressing room to go search for more gowns. They'd been at it for hours and she was no closer to finding a dress than when they started. She'd climbed in and out of more bridal gowns than she could count, and had seen more than enough to last her a lifetime. There were so many different styles and cuts and colors and according to every saleswoman they encountered she would look stunning and gorgeous in anything, but especially the ones north of twenty or thirty thousand dollars which had her actively fighting back her gag reflex. The thought of spending that kind of money on a dress seemed absurd, no matter the occasion, telling Stacie that kind of money was for a house not a relatively large piece of cloth. 

After a few minutes of peaceful quiet, Stacie poked her head back around the curtain. "Hey, Bec... come look at these. I've got an idea." 

Beca took a moment to get control over her expression in case it was horrid, finding out quickly that both Sheila and Stacie got mildly offended if she didn't give something a chance. She stood up and took a few steps around the barrier to look at the new dress her friend had hung up in the designated changing area. 

"I know it's not exactly what you've been liking so far, and that this one isn't white, but I was thinking that maybe we were really going about this the wrong way," Stacie said quickly. 

Beca frowned slightly at the two dresses hanging side by side. "Uh, Stace, I'm pretty sure that's a prom dress or a bridesmaid dress. And that one," she gestured at the simple white gown, "That one isn't bad, I guess. Not really a fan of the top," she added as an afterthought. 

"Exactly," Stacie said, her voice rising with excitement. "Both of these are pretty cheap," she explained, moving closer to the navy blue strapless dress. "What if we took the top of this one and connected it to the bottom of this white one?" 

Beca shot her a doubtful look, musing, "Can they even do that?" 

"Yeah, sure they can. They can do just about anything." 

Beca took a closer look at the blue dress, inspecting the wrap style sweetheart neckline. It wasn't that bad really, and picturing it attached to the flowy white chiffon skirt of the other dress had captured her interest. 

"Why don't you put on the blue one and then we'll hold up the white skirt and see what you think?" Stacie prodded, and Beca rolled her eyes at her friend's hopeful tone. 

"Fine," she agreed, shedding the light robe and carefully taking the dress off the hangar. 

It was much easier to get into than most of the bridal gowns she'd been shoved into that day, and the lighter material felt cool against her skin. After another moment of adjusting the top, she stepped in front of the mirror and waited for Stacie to come over with the other dress. The taller brunette had folded the top of the dress back so that only the skirt remained, standing behind her and holding the white chiffon up against her waist. 

They heard a soft gasp from behind them, and Beca glanced to the side to see Sheila in the mirror, hands clasped over her mouth. Looking back at her reflection, she had to admit it was a gorgeous dress they'd patchworked together. 

"Kid, that looks stunning. I actually love the blue top," Sheila said, inching closer until she was standing on Beca's other side. "What do you think?" 

Beca stared at her reflection, feeling a smile creep onto her face. It was the first time all afternoon she could actually see herself in a dress she would wear at her wedding. 

Stacie didn't hesitate to call her out, grinning, "You can't hide that smile forever, Mitchell. I can already tell you love it." 

"Fuck you," Beca retorted, though her now beaming smile took all the heat out of the words. "I hate you both," she added at the way the two women happily shouted and high-fived behind her, grabbing onto the white dress to keep it in place when Stacie dropped it. 

Beca couldn't be upset though, not with the feelings and emotions that were coursing through her. Something about looking at herself wearing what she would have on when she married Chloe had tears gathering behind her eyes. The whole thing made it seem very real, as though each step they took in planning the wedding made it more and more apparent that this was actually happening. Even though at times she felt like she needed someone to pinch her to make sure it wasn't all a dream, Beca knew Chloe's enthusiasm and excitement was growing on her more and more, and she really couldn't wait to make the redhead her wife. 

"Bec? You okay?" 

She shook her head clear of those thoughts, turning and grinning at Stacie as she handed her back the dress. "Yeah I'm great. I'm saying yes to the dress or whatever... well, dresses. Yes to the dresses?" 

Sheila chuckled, "Words I never thought would come outta your mouth, kid." 

Beca flipped her off as Stacie said, "Okay, get changed out of that dress so we can go talk to their alterations department. I have a feeling they're going to have some questions for us." 

"You think?" Beca deadpanned, easily stepping out of the dress. "We only want to completely hack apart both dresses... nothing complicated about that." 

"Ever the optimist," Stacie shot back with a wink. "Don't look so upset, we'll buy you ice cream after." 

Beca stared at her, declaring, "And dinner. I want dinner too." 

Stacie rolled her eyes, nodding agreeably. "Yes and dinner. Now hurry up and get changed and meet us up front," she said, grabbing both dresses and slipping out of the dressing room with Sheila right behind her.   
  
Beca pursed her lips and reached for her jeans, mumbling, "After this ordeal, I've definitely earned dinner and dessert." 

* * *

"I'm sure they'll be here any minute now," Beca said apologetically to the owner of the bakery, who waved her off with a smile. "It's not like Chloe to be late," she muttered to Stacie, feeling a touch of concern. 

Stacie shrugged, pacing back along the row of cupcakes sitting enticingly in a clear display case. "Maybe she had to drag Ms. Posen kicking and screaming to get her to be in the same room as us. We weren't her favorite students, you know." 

Beca grinned, "Well, yeah. I think she'd have liked you enough if you weren't friends with me. She's been to the house a few times though... we're capable of being in the same room." 

Before Stacie could respond, the door opened and the two missing women strolled inside laughing about something. 

"Hey baby," Chloe greeted her, pressing a kiss to her lips. 

Beca pulled back a little faster than usual, though she did slip an arm around Chloe's waist. "Hey... Hi Aubrey," she said, giving the blonde what she hoped was a nice smile. 

"Hello Beca," Aubrey said politely, adding, "You too, Stacie. It's been a while since I last saw you. How's Stanford?" 

Stacie perked up, answering, "Amazing. I love it there. I can't believe I'm a senior already... though I'm hoping to be in school a lot longer." 

Aubrey's eyebrows rose, asking, "Really? Are you going for a master's degree?" 

"I'm applying to medical school at Stanford and UCLA," Stacie answered casually. "I love it at Stanford, and it's a top program, but it wouldn't hurt being a little closer to my best friend," she added, wrapping an arm around Beca's shoulders and pulling her away from Chloe. 

Beca scoffed and shook her head. "You should go to Stanford if you get in. I wouldn't visit you at UCLA if my life depended on it. I've seen enough of that place." 

Stacie pulled her into an overly-tight hug, whining, "Aww Bec! You have to visit me! I'll be so close! Besides, you're in LA for work all the time." 

Aubrey looked slightly uncomfortable at the obviously closeness between the pair, asking, "What field of medicine are you interested in?" 

Beca froze for a moment, not actually knowing the answer herself. She looked up at Stacie curiously, asking, "Yeah, Stace. What do you want to do with your life?" 

"Well, I was actually thinking of Oncology," Stacie answered, after a brief pause. "Probably sticking to the research side instead of the practicing side, though." 

Chloe spoke up when neither Beca or Aubrey immediately responded, saying gently, "That's a great idea Stacie." 

"Okay, okay, enough of that. Today is not a get emotional about cancer day, it's a happy, fun, let's eat cake day," Beca insisted, pulling away from the taller brunette just in time for the owner of the bakery to appear from the back of the shop. "I think we're ready," she called to her, thankful for the distraction. 

Chloe stepped forward and introduced herself and Aubrey. Beca was relieved to hear the woman introduce herself as Shannon, having already forgotten her name from earlier when she and Stacie had arrived. She led the four of them over to a table and explained the different flavors of cake she had prepared for them to try. 

They went through the flavors rather quickly, loving the double chocolate with raspberry filling and all agreeing the lemon cake with orange-flavored buttercream frosting was a no. Beca particularly liked the vanilla chocolate chip filling, while Chloe favored a spice cake with cream cheese frosting. 

Beca took advantage of Shannon returning to the back in search of a book of decorating options to whisper, "Chlo, this cake is amazing. I'm good with ordering from here." 

Chloe glanced at Stacie and Aubrey's nodding heads and agreed, "Okay, works for me." 

Shannon returned with a large book filled with images of cakes she'd decorated, showing Beca and Chloe all the different things they could do. 

"Okay ladies, the most important question is whether you want to do a tiered cake or something different, like cupcakes or cake pops," Shannon said after they'd flipped through a good portion of the book. 

Beca shrugged as Chloe thought for a moment, before asking, "What would the options look like?" 

Shannon answered, "It's really up to you. We can customize just about anything. You mentioned you're having a smaller wedding, so a small cake would be very affordable, unlike what you'd need for a larger wedding. The prices can go up very quickly." 

"Budget isn't really an issue," Beca commented, her eyes drawn to another picture in the book of a large, four tier monstrosity. 

"We don't need a cake that's as tall as you are," Chloe teased, flipping the book shut. "What about cupcakes or cake pops?" 

Shannon smiled, "Those are becoming very popular, especially the cake pops since you just grab them. With those options, we'll usually do a small, one or two tier cake for the couple to cut, and cupcakes or pops for the rest of the guest. Since they're individual portions, you can have a variety of flavors and icings, which is always fun. Or..." 

Beca looked up as she trailed off, realizing the woman was studying the pair of them before speaking. "Or..." She prompted, curious what was on her mind. 

Shannon continued, "We've started to offer this new package for cupcakes, but no one has gone for it yet for a wedding. It's not exactly traditional, but we've had excellent response and feedback from other events... graduations and birthdays and such." 

Beca was officially interested, though one glance around the table showed suspicious looks on both Chloe and Aubrey's faces. "Well what is it? I'm always down for a cupcake." 

"We're calling it the "Pimp Your Cupcake" package," Shannon said, a wide smile breaking out on her face as she tried not to laugh. "I still feel strange saying it." 

Beca's eyes widened in excitement at the same time Aubrey's widened in horror. 

"That sounds awesome," Beca commented, looking excitedly around the table. "How does it work?" 

Shannon shifted a little in her chair, explaining, "Well you'd choose the cake and icing flavors, but obviously we'd recommend something more plain that people can spice up with different toppings. We sell each flavor by the dozen, so for your wedding I'd recommend three to four dozen which would mean up to three or four different flavors. Then we provide the toppings of your choice for people to use to decorate their cupcakes." 

"Yes," Beca said immediately. "A hundred percent yes to that." 

"Wait a second," Aubrey cut in, and Beca had the distinct feeling she felt the situation was getting out of control. "Chloe, what do you think of this? You were telling me on the way here you wanted something more traditional." 

Chloe was looking at Beca's face, unable to hide her smile at how excited the brunette was over the idea. "Bec... you really want to have a pimp your cupcake station at our wedding?" 

"Exactly, it's your wedding," Aubrey said, jumping onto Chloe's words. 

Beca nodded, "Sure do. We can have a cake thing too for us to cut into and smash in each other's faces, like she was saying earlier." 

"Chloe, for serious?" Aubrey said, and Beca clenched her teeth together to keep from bursting out laughing or spitting out a sarcastic remark. 

Chloe just shrugged and reached over to lace her fingers with Beca's. "Yeah, why not. It sounds kinda fun, Bree. Plus we'll have the other cake anyways that can be more formal." 

Stacie chimed in, "I think it sounds fucking awesome. Bec, you better have rainbow sprinkles," she added, her expression turning serious. 

Beca snorted, "Yeah, okay. That's not cliché at all. Any other requests?" 

"Nope," Stacie said happily, only taking a second before changing her mind. "Wait, yes. Please please have one of the cupcake flavors be that double chocolate amazingness that was basically dropped down from heaven. I need it in my life." 

"Just buy one before we leave the store," Beca retorted. "Much easier solution." 

"I'll do that too," Stacie said agreeably, turning her pleading expression on Chloe. "Chloe, do it for the inner chocoholic's in all of us." 

Chloe laughed, winking at her before turning back to Aubrey. "It'll be fine, Bree. We'll get a cute little two layer cake that's white and gorgeous and you won't even have to look at the hot mess of a cupcake that Beca makes later in the evening." 

Beca smirked at the blonde, knowing she'd won this round of wedding planning, before turning her attention back to Shannon. It didn't take them long to design the small, simple two layer cake, sticking with Chloe's vision of a traditional white, vanilla buttercream and some beautiful piping detail on the sides. She smiled and nodded when Chloe asked if one of the layers could be the spice cake she fell in love with, and they agreed the second flavor could be chocolate with the vanilla chip filling that had captured Beca's heart earlier. 

With that out of the way, Beca grinned around the table before asking, "So what kinda toppings are we talking about? If I'm gonna pimp my cupcake, I want to do it right." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaannnnndddd I'm back! So what'd you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Put it out there, lay it all on the line, and all that jazzzzzzz! Dorkiness aside, it's my turn to get to thank BlackLightning1212 for letting me give my insight into this awesome story of hers. It's been an awesome ride and it's a little bittersweet to know this leg of the journey will be ending soon. I also want to thank you all for reading, encouraging, commenting, ranting, sometimes yelling, freaking out and all around being you. There is no better person out there to be and don't let anyone tell you any different.
> 
> Peace, hugs, and a whole lotta love! ~Arsto
> 
> P.S. Is anyone else finding all of the PP3 hoopla a little disappointing? I feel like I trying to be tricked into excitement. I mean, I'm gonna see it regardless but would it really hurt to make Bechloe canon at this point? No, I don't think it would. Total ughness, man. 
> 
> P.S.S. Don't forget to leave a message after the tone.... beep.... still waiting... comment already! Seriously dudes, you got this.
> 
> P.S.S.S. And now back to your regularly scheduled program called life. What? Don't be so disappointed. We are already working on the next chapter.
> 
> P.S.S.S.S? Don't get too excited. I can't make any promises on when it'll be posted. BUT we ARE working on it. So that should comfort you... some. LOL okay for real, I'm out this time. Go be productive members of society.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Back! In case anyone was wondering... vacations are the best. Special shoutout to my beta for getting that last chapter posted! If it had been left up to me, you guys would probably still be waiting.
> 
> Got the next chapter out super quick for you guys! Almost to the end now!
> 
> This one goes out to all the Jealous Chloe requests, because I just couldn't resist ;-).

* * *

_(Chloe's POV)_

Chloe glanced to the side as Beca shifted anxiously in her chair, finally reaching out and taking the brunette's hand.

"Bec, it's gonna be good news," Chloe said, giving Beca's hand a squeeze.

Beca shot her an indifferent look and shrugged, "I know. I'm fine."

Chloe didn't comment on her fiancé's nervous tone, knowing that it wouldn't help things. They were currently waiting in Dr. Morris' office for the results of Beca's latest blood tests, hoping for the good news that she was holding steady in remission. Chloe knew how devastated Beca would be if the results weren't positive, especially with the benefit concert right around the corner and only a month to go before their wedding.

The silence between them was overwhelming, and Chloe glanced around the empty office in an attmept to distract herself from the way Beca was simply staring at her hands folded in her lap. She decided against speaking again, forcing her thoughts away from how devastated she herself would be at bad news. Things between them were basically back to normal, and Chloe feared their relationship wouldn't survive another battle with cancer even if Beca managed to.

They both jumped nervously as the door opened, Dr. Morris shooting them both an apologetic smile as he closed it softly and quickly took a seat behind his desk.

"My apologies ladies, I was with another patient," he said smoothly, already clicking away at his computer. "Beca, how are you feeling?"

Beca shrugged again, answering, "I feel good, Doc. Nothing bad to report."

He nodded, looking away from the screen to study her appearance. "I imagine under these circumstances you won't mind, but it looks like you've gained some weight back."

Chloe couldn't help but smile at Beca's chuckle and raised eyebrow. "I'll let it slide just this once," she shot back, before briefly meeting Chloe's eyes. "But yeah, Chlo's been helping me and I've gained back most of the weight I lost. It's nice to not look in the mirror and see a skeleton."

Dr. Morris gave her an approving nod and looked back at the screen. Chloe let out a slow breath, reaching over to take Beca's hand and give her a reassuring smile.

"Well everything still looks good, Beca," Dr. Morris said, clicking a few more times on his screen before looking away and folding his hands on top of his desk. "As long as you're feeling good I think we can reduce the tests and trips up to LA, unless you really want to see me every month."

Beca pretended to think about it before saying, "I don't like you that much. A lot... for, you know... saving my life and shit... but I'm ready to cut back on these little visits."

Chloe just shook her head at the brunette's sarcasm and the way Dr. Morris winked at her in lieu of a response. She was surprised when the man addressed her next.

"Chloe, how has the past month been for you?"

"Uh, good," she finally answered, sneaking a quick look at Beca and regretting it instantly at the smirk on her fiancé's face. "Things have been almost normal for us. It's been really nice."

Dr. Morris nodded again, looking between the two of them before saying, "I know we've talked about this in the past, but battling cancer takes an emotional toll on everyone involved no matter the outcome. I'm happy to provide a recommendation if either or both of you need someone to talk to."

Chloe hesitated at his words, knowing before she spoke that Beca was going to shut him down.

"That's okay, Doc. I don't need a stranger asking me all kinds of personal shit."

Chloe bit back a quick answer, even as Dr. Morris turned to her.

"Chloe?"

Beca glanced at her, suddenly curious at her hesitation. "Do you want to?" She asked, and Chloe was relieved to hear her sincere tone.

Chloe thought for a moment, feeling a bit pressured with the way Beca was intently staring at her. "Um, I mean I think we're good," she finally said, not liking the nervous expression on Beca's face. "I just can't help but worry it'll come back..."

Chloe looked down when Beca turned to Dr. Morris for help, clearly unsure how to reassure her.

"Chloe, those fears are completely normal," he stepped in calmly, waiting until she met his eyes to give her a comforting smile. "I'm sure Beca feels the same way," continuing at the brunette's nod, "But you can't live worrying about the 'what if's.' Beca is doing extraordinarily well, and you should focus on that instead of all the things that could go wrong. That being said, I'm happy to recommend a colleague in the San Diego area if you'd like to talk about it. You can just take the name... the decision to call or go is entirely up to you."

Beca gave her hand a squeeze, giving Chloe the confidence she needed and the knowledge that Beca would support her if she wanted to go. "Yeah, okay," she finally said, taking the slip of paper the doctor handed her a minute later.

Dr. Morris leaned back in his chair, addressing Beca again. "Well, that's all from my end unless you have questions. Other than that, you know the drill for scheduling your next follow up. We'll keep it at three months for now to be safe."

"Sweet," Beca said, standing quickly and shaking his hand. "Thanks, Doc... for everything."

Dr. Morris smiled and shook her hand, adding, "Oh, I almost forgot. Congratulations! I believe my wife has RSVP'd for us, but we'd be delighted to attend your wedding next month. I can't think of a couple who deserve a happy ending more than you two."

Chloe stood at that, shaking his hand. "Thanks to you we're going to have one. Really, Dr. Morris... thank you," she said, immediately feeling emotional.

Beca dropped her hand in favor of sliding an arm around her waist. "Now you've done it, Doc. She'll be weepy for the next hour," she teased, her hand rubbing over Chloe's back.

"Shut up," Chloe murmured, leaning into the brunette. "Sorry I'm happy you're alive and I get to marry you."

Beca relented as they moved toward the office door. "Yeah, you're right Chlo. I'm pretty happy about that too."

* * *

"I can't believe you let her do this whole concert thing so close to the wedding."

Chloe shrugged at Aubrey's words, standing up from her seat in the VIP box and stretching. "I mean, Beca does what she wants, Bree," she answered. "But I was fully supportive of this idea, no matter how close to the wedding it ended up being. Plus, it's for charity."

The wedding was two weeks away, which admittedly was closer than Chloe had anticipated holding the benefit concert to promote cancer awareness, but far enough out that it wouldn't interfere with any of their plans. Beca had explained that this was the only date they could get the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and they needed something large enough to accommodate the crowds and the different performers.

"And Blake," Aubrey added, looking up at her. "I'm sure her family appreciates what Beca's doing in her honor."

Chloe nodded, sitting back down beside her friend. "We've gotten to know them a little bit better over the last month when Beca was helping pull this whole thing together. They're here somewhere, and have agreed to go up on stage with Beca at the end of her set and say a few words. Amazing family... makes me even sadder for their loss, and even more thankful that Beca is still here with me."

"How is Beca doing? Have you been to the doctor recently?"

"Yeah, we actually went about a month ago," Chloe answered. "He said all Beca's test results were within normal levels, and that we just need to keep an eye out for any irregular symptoms. She'll continue getting the blood tests to be safe, but as of now she's still safely in remission."

Aubrey's smile was genuine, "I'm really glad to hear that, Chlo. I know Beca and I haven't always gotten along..."

"Understatement," Chloe butted in with a teasing smile.

"Yes, fine, we were at odds for years," Aubrey huffed in an exasperated tone, "But anyone can see she makes you happy, and I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone... not even the most obnoxious student I've ever had the misfortune of teaching."

Chloe rolled her eyes at the glint in the blonde's eye, knowing she wasn't really serious.

"Anyways, what are you getting her for the wedding?" Aubrey asked, changing the subject.

"Um..." Chloe hesitated, realizing she hadn't gotten her fiancé anything. "I didn't realize I was supposed to get her something. I got a gift for Jess for standing up there with me, but I didn't get anything for my future wife!"

Aubrey quickly responded, "Hey, relax! There's plenty of time to get her a gift. What does she like?"

Chloe racked her brain, trying to think of something she could get the brunette. "Ugh, Bree, I have no idea. She already has so much, and she never really talks about wanting anything."

"Well, you talk about how she cooks, right? You could get her something for the kitchen. Maybe a new gadget or machine or something?" Aubrey suggested.

"Super romantic, Bree," Chloe sighed, shaking her head. "I mean this is our wedding... I don't want to get her something useful. She doesn't wear much jewelry though."

Aubrey stayed silent for a moment, before offering, "What about something special just for the two of you? Something you can do together?"

Chloe frowned in thought, trying to think of something new she and Beca could do together. Sighing in defeat, she shook her head again. "I suck. I'm the worst fiancé... wife to be ever."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, you're an awesome fiancé," Aubrey corrected, rubbing a comforting hand over her back. "You could be really devious and stop sleeping with her until the wedding, and then surprise her with some super hot lingerie," she said with a laugh. "I've heard of girls doing that before."

Chloe looked up with wide eyes. "Bree, we just had over a year of celibacy... the last thing we need right now is to stop having sex."

Aubrey held her hands up in defense, saying, "Okay, first I was joking. And second, it's not about that, it's about the build-up, Chlo. The temptation and the teasing and it's supposed to be fun, not cruel."

Chloe's expression turned thoughtful, and Aubrey immediately backtracked. "Chlo, no, I was joking! Don't do that... Beca still thinks I hate her and..."

"Bree! Relax!" Chloe threw the words back at her friend with a smirk. "Like you said, it's more about the anticipation than being mean or spiteful. And it's never a bad thing to have an excuse to go buy lingerie... especially when I always get such positive reactions."

Aubrey screwed up her face, "Ew. I do not need to know about your sex life. I never should have said anything in the first place."

Chloe shook her head, her smile growing. "It's perfect, Bree! What better present to give Beca than all this," she winked, running her hands down over her hips.

Aubrey's cheeks were flushed, refusing to respond to Chloe's teasing. "Your fiancé will kill me if she finds out I put this idea in your head," she muttered, looking away from the redhead and down over the crowd. "As if she didn't hate me enough already."

"Aww, Bree, Beca doesn't hate you," Chloe said, leaning in and wrapping her arms around the blonde in a hug. "She just thinks you hate her and feels awkward around you no matter how much I try to convince her she's being ridiculous."

A voice behind them chimed in, "She's also still super nervous Chloe will tell you she had sex on your desk one time back in high school."

Chloe's jaw dropped as she spun around to see Stacie standing there holding a drink carrier in one hand and popcorn in the other. "Stacie!"

She turned to meet Aubrey's horrified stare, too shocked to hide the truth on her face. "Bree..." Chloe started, hesitating as the blonde's look turned accusatory. "Aubrey it wasn't me!" She exclaimed defensively, shooting a quick glare at Stacie as the brunette started laughing.

Before Aubrey could say anything, Jesse came bounding down the aisle from the box, holding a plate of food in each hand. "Bree, I got you the barbecue chicken and...potato salad..." He trailed off with a quick look at the three women. "Did I miss something?"

Aubrey's lips formed a thin line before she simply turned to Chloe and said, "Tell her it was my idea and tease the hell out of her."

* * *

Chloe pursed her lips as she flipped the test closed and put it face down on the stack of already graded ones, sliding the next in front of her. Grading was by no means her favorite part of teaching, but at least most of her exams were multiple choice or fill in the blank instead of essay style. She had no idea how Aubrey graded English assignments and papers all year long, and she wasn't envious in the slightest.

Before she could begin the next test, a pair of arm slipped around her neck from behind making her smile.

"Finished the dishes already?" Chloe asked, leaning back into the brunette's embrace.

"Mm hmm," Beca murmured, placing a kiss below her ear. "I'm ready for my next assignment, Ms. Beale."

Chloe closed her eyes at Beca's tone, knowing exactly what her fiancé was up to. "I won't be Ms. Beale for much longer, you know."

Beca gently pulled her shirt aside to expose her shoulder, letting her lips trail over bare skin. "I'm well aware. Soon you'll be Mrs. Mitchell... I'm not sure which is sexier."

"Hopefully the one where I'm your wife," Chloe deadpanned, feeling Beca smile against her shoulder.

"That will definitely be hard to beat," Beca admitted, her hands trailing down Chloe's arms to her thighs. "Ready for a break from grading?"

Chloe took a slow breath, before shaking her head no. "I really need to finish grading these tests, baby."

Beca groaned, letting her forehead drop to Chloe's shoulder. Chloe fought back a smile at the brunette's frustration, reaching up behind her to rub the back of Beca's neck. It had been a week since the benefit concert and Aubrey's suggestion of abstaining from sex until the wedding, and it seemed that Beca was starting to feel the effects. Chloe was admittedly finding it much harder than she thought, wondering if Beca had any idea how sexy she was without even trying to be, let alone when she was.

"Is something wrong?"

Chloe froze at the question, having decided not to tell her that Aubrey was behind her decision, or even that she was trying to wait until the wedding.

"No... why?" Chloe answered, trying to keep her voice even.

Beca pulled away from her and frustratedly ran her fingers through her hair. "Because we haven't had sex in a week, Chloe."

Chloe winced at Beca's use of her full name combined with that tone. She tried to shrug it off, saying, "It's just been a little crazy with the wedding a week away and with school and stuff."

Beca frowned, asking, "Are you really feeling that stressed out about the wedding? What's going on? I can help with more... you don't have to do it all by yourself..."

Chloe sighed, knowing that tactic had backfired. Of course Beca would feel guilty about not helping enough instead of just letting it go. "You're fine, Bec. Nothing is wrong... it's just a lull."

"We had over a year of 'lull,'" Beca said, using finger quotes for the word. "You've literally ripped my clothes off almost every single day since Jess and Ashley's wedding, so forgive me if that doesn't really fly."

Chloe bit her lower lip, trying to keep her emotions in check. It was difficult since a frustrated Beca made her a little weak in the knees, and if Beca hadn't gotten off in a week, neither had she. It didn't help that the brunette was currently wearing tight jeans and a flannel open over a low cut tank top, giving Chloe a clear view of her cleavage on display. Chloe cleared her head, reminding herself that a little teasing never hurt anyone and that Beca wouldn't be angry in a week when they were married.

She got up from her seat on the couch, leaving her red pen on top of the ungraded test to circle around until she was in front of Beca. Chloe slid her hands to Beca's hips and pulled her in for a slow kiss, their bodies flush against each other. Beca's hands immediately slipped into her hair at the same time her tongue slipped past Chloe's lips, making her momentarily lose her train of thought. Chloe recovered quickly, pulling back to place a kiss below Beca's ear.

"And I really want to rip your clothes off, baby," Chloe murmured, enjoying how flustered Beca was after such a brief kiss. "But I need to finish grading these tests." She spun away and resumed her place on the couch, clicking her red pen and staring intently at the paper in front her despite not reading a word of it.

Thankfully Beca only groaned and left her to it, muttering, "Tease," under her breath as she grabbed Zeus' leash and led him out the front door.

* * *

"Just one more store, Bec."

Beca rolled her eyes beside her, retorting, "You said that two stores ago, Chlo. We're not going to make it to the justice building downtown in time to get our marriage license if we don't go soon. It's already leaving it super last minute."

Chloe knew that was true, but she still hadn't bought any lingerie for their wedding night or honeymoon, and although it was definitely bordering on cruel to make Beca help after the past week and a half of teasing, she genuinely wanted the brunette's opinion. The wedding was three days away, and Aubrey and Stacie had already demanded that they go out the night before for a joint bachelorette night. That left today and tomorrow to get everything done, and Chloe was eternally grateful that she'd taken this time off work. They'd been running last minute errands downtown, along with some final shopping for their honeymoon.

"I promise this is the last one," Chloe swore, a glint in her eye as she met Beca's doubtful look.

Beca groaned, "Fine. Which one?"

"This one."

Chloe waited until Beca realized where they were, smiling at the brunette when her jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

Chloe nodded, quickly tugging the brunette inside the expensive lingerie shop before someone on the street recognized Beca. The lights were dimmed inside, and Chloe immediately led the way deeper into the store. Surprisingly Beca remained silent as she searched and selected a few options, declining the help from a sales girl beyond handing over a few things to start a dressing room.

Beca scoffed at that, saying, "Chlo this isn't a movie montage... I'm not going to watch you try on lingerie."

Chloe winked at her, replying, "Yes you are."

"No way."

"Are you saying you don't want to see me in this?" Chloe asked innocently, holding up her most recent selection.

Beca's eyes widened, mumbling, "There's not enough material there to cover anything. It'd basically be you naked."

"Is that a problem?"

"I'm not falling for... whatever trap this is," Beca decided with a shake of her head. "You should only be that naked for me, not everyone in the store."

Chloe put a little extra wiggle in her hips as she made her way to the changing room, calling over her shoulder, "You'll have to come in then."

She didn't have to turn around to know that Beca would follow her, pushing aside the curtain to the changing room only to close it on the brunette trying to join her inside. Chloe pushed her back a step with one hand on her chest, biting back a laugh at the confused look on her face.

"Not yet," she directed, gesturing that Beca should wait outside for now.

Chloe snapped the curtain shut and started undressing, biting down harder on her lower lip when she heard Beca's muffled, "This is some bullshit right here."

She quickly changed into the first set, light blue lace with a corset-style top that had all her assets on display. The thong bottom wasn't too bad so she flipped back the curtain to show Beca, this time purposely shooting the brunette a flirty smile.

"Whatcha think, baby?"

Beca's eyes trailed over her body before moving back up to her chest. Finally finding her voice, the brunette stuttered, "Uh... whoa... um, yeah that one's good."

Chloe took a step forward into Beca's space, pushing her a little farther. "So you like it, then?"

Beca's hands reached out to take her hips, eyes still unashamedly glued to Chloe's exposed cleavage. "Mm hmm."

"Okay, noted!" Chloe said cheerfully, spinning away and snapping the curtain shut before Beca could say another word. She chuckled softly at Beca's mumbling outside the curtain, barely making out, "she's trying to kill me."

Chloe made it through the next few outfits, each one skimpier than the last until the only one left was the one Beca had commented on earlier. She had to admit that Beca had a point, there was almost no material to it and both pieces were completely see-through, leaving nothing to the imagination.

"Okay baby, you'll have to come in for this one," Chloe called out.

Beca slipped inside the curtain less than five seconds later, her eyes darker than Chloe had seen them in recent memory.

"Fuck," she breathed, standing perfectly still as her eyes trailed over Chloe's body again.

Chloe winked at her, saying, "This is the last one, Bec. I know you didn't really like it but I thought I should at least try it on. I'll take it off and we can go."

Beca grabbed her hand at its first movement, stepping into her space and backing Chloe against the changing room wall. Chloe met her eyes briefly before Beca's dropped to her lips. Before Chloe could do anything they were kissing furiously, Beca's hand dropping hers for both to roughly cover her breasts. The pent up frustration and lust and spilled over the edge and Chloe was quickly losing control at how good it felt to have Beca touch her, her body telling her what an idiot she was for denying such pleasure.

Chloe bit down hard on her lip when Beca's mouth dropped to her breasts, fighting with every ounce to hold back the moans threatening to enlighten everyone in the store of their actions. Her brain briefly tried to regain some control, but that flew out the window when Beca's fingers slid under the scrap of material so small no one could rationally describe it as underwear. At the exact moment Beca's fingers slid inside her, a voice outside called out making them freeze in place.

"Everything alright in there?"

Chloe looked helplessly at Beca, her eyes black with desire, and dropped a hand to the brunette's wrist to push her away. Beca shook her head, eyebrows narrowing in defiance, but eventually gave in and pulled her hand back when the woman asked again.

"Need any help? Another size perhaps?"

Chloe's legs felt weak as she leaned against the wall, hating the frustrated feeling coursing through her body right now as much as the mimicked expression of annoyance on Beca's face. She was eternally grateful when Beca answered, knowing she was in no position to sound normal at all.

"We're fine," Beca said smoothly, spinning around and exiting through the curtain. "I was just giving my opinion on something a little too revealing for the rest of the shop."

Chloe ran her fingers through her hair, wondering how she was going to compose herself.

"Hurry up, Beale! We've only got an hour to get out of here and get our marriage license!"

* * *

_(Beca's POV)_

"Stop sulking. We're going out, we're gonna get drunk, and we're gonna have fun damnit!"

Beca crossed her arms and glared at her best friend. "I'm not getting drunk the night before my wedding. How did you guys convince Chloe to let me drink anyways?"

"Blackmail."

Beca rolled her eyes. "Be serious. You really got Chloe to sign off on me getting drunk off my ass the night before our wedding? The same Chloe that yelled at her own father for giving me a beer?"

Stacie huffed, "Why are you asking so many questions? Yes, we cleared it with Chloe. One night of drinking won't kill you."

"Debatable," Beca muttered, frowning again.

"Well if you don't do something to release all that built up tension you might kill someone. I like my option better," Stacie reasoned with a wink, before returning to her task of shuffling through Beca's closet to find her something to wear. "Why are you so tense anyways?"

Beca collapsed backwards onto her bed, shouting back, "Because my fiancé won't sleep with me. I swear Stacie I feel like I'm going to combust... it's ridiculous. We haven't had sex in almost two weeks!"

Stacie popped her head out of the closet to look at her, asking, "Didn't you guys make it like a year or something when you were doing chemo?"

"First, It's not the same thing at all," Beca argued. "Second, it's not the same fucking thing at all!"

Stacie laughed and resumed her search, leaving Beca to complain to the empty room.

"When you're getting chemo you barely have the energy to sit up," Beca said, leaning up on her elbows for emphasis. "And everything hurts. Just the thought of sex made me exhausted and my whole body ache."

"Then you're doing it right!" Stacie quipped with a laugh.

Beca tried not to, but ended up shaking her head with a smile at her best friend. "Anyways, since we got our groove back I haven't gone more than a day without an orgasm. One day! And now it's been two weeks and sometimes I fucking swear Chloe's doing it on purpose."

Beca paused in her rant, noticing Stacie had gone noticeably silent. "Stacie get out here."

The tall brunette took her time appearing, but eventually did so with a black dress from the depths of Beca's wardrobe. "Bec, you should wear this. It's sexy as hell."

Beca regarded her suspiciously, asking, "What do you know about this?"

Stacie rolled her eyes, joking, "I think you're so horny you're delusional. Relax, Bec... have a fun night out and you guys can have sex for two weeks straight on your honeymoon. Maybe she's just been stressed with the wedding and wrapping up things at work."

Beca sighed, looking sincerely up at her best friend. "Am I being a dick about this?"

"No, I don't think so," Stacie answered, sitting down beside her on the bed. "I mean, maybe slightly insensitive, but it's not wrong to want to get down and dirty with your fiancé. Especially when that person is as hot as Chloe."

Beca narrowed her eyes and gave Stacie a shove. "Hands off, Conrad."

"You got it," Stacie said, mocking her even more with a salute. "If you think she's been teasing you, just tease her back. What better opportunity than tonight when we're gonna get our drink and dance on! A little teasing might just push her buttons, Bec. Chloe's always had a little jealous streak within her. Remember back in high school when she thought we were dating?"

Beca laughed and shook her head in disbelief. "Yeah, that was funny. I had no idea what she was talking about," she said, pausing for a moment. "I don't know if pushing her buttons or trying to make her jealous is a good idea. We're getting married tomorrow... sounds a little petty."

Stacie rolled her eyes, explaining, "It's not petty if you're just having fun. And from what you told me about that lingerie stunt, Chloe's definitely having fun. Why shouldn't you? I'm not telling you to go cheat on her... it won't take much to make her jealous anyways. Probably happen the first time some chick recognizes you and tries to buy you a drink."

"And I would absolutely let them... free drinks!" Beca cheered, lowering her enthusiasm at Stacie's look.

"You know you shouldn't let girls, or guys for that matter, buy you drinks right?"

Beca shrugged, answering, "It's no big deal. Happened all the time when I DJ'd."

Stacie opened her mouth, then decided against whatever was going through her head and closed it again.

"What?"

Stacie shook her head, replying, "It's nothing, Bec. Don't worry about it. What you should be worrying about is getting your ass into this dress so we can go celebrate your last single night!"

Beca sighed and got up from the bed, taking the dress into her closet to get changed. "Who's going out with us again?"

Stacie called back, "Keeping it simple tonight, Bec. Girls only! Just you, me, Chloe, Aubrey, Jess, and Ashley."

Beca knew the group could have been a lot worse, and decided to accept her fate. She quickly put on some lacy underwear, just in case she managed to convince Chloe to take them off, before slipping on the dress. It was short and showed off just enough cleavage, and she looked damn good in it. Beca searched around for a moment before finding the right pair of heels, stepping into them and exiting the closet to Stacie's wolf whistles.

"Thank you for that," Beca said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Let's go before I change my mind."

Stacie decided not to test her, hopping quickly to her feet. "Good thing our Uber is here. Aubrey texted me that she and Chloe are already at the club and that Chloe's a few drinks in. You've got some catching up to do!"

"Wonderful," Beca muttered, following her friend out the door.

* * *

They arrived at the popular club and it took Stacie less than five minutes to shove a drink in Beca's hand.

"Vodka cranberry?" Beca eyed the glass suspiciously. "This isn't spring break from the sorority house."

Stacie rolled her eyes, retorting, "You need to get drunk. Sober Beca is the biggest buzzkill on the planet. Drink. Now."

Beca flipped her off, but didn't say anything else before downing the drink. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic. Come on." Stacie grabbed her hand and led her through the busy club looking for their friends.

Beca spotted Chloe first, naturally on the dance floor where she moved as naturally as though she'd been there her whole life. Beca could one day hope to be as comfortable and look as good on the dance floor as Chloe Beale. She tugged Stacie's hand and pointed at Chloe, who she realized was also joined by Aubrey and Ashley.

"Oh, nice work Mitchell. Let's go," Stacie said, dragging her forward through the crowds of people.

"Hey, wait... I'm not nearly drunk enough for this," Beca complained, trying to tug her hand out of Stacie's iron grip.

"Baby!"

Chloe's exclamation pierced through the loud music bouncing off the walls, and Beca was suddenly engulfed in a hug from her favorite person in the world. Chloe's perfume surrounded her, making her feel right at home for a moment.

"You smell good," she said immediately, pulling back with a smirk.

Chloe beamed at her, tugging her closer again. "Dance with me."

Before Beca could turn her down, Chloe had draped her arms around Beca's neck and started to move to the music. All her willpower evaporated at the way Chloe was moving her hips, suddenly turning around and pressing back into her. Beca's hands immediately went to her hips, following along with Chloe's movements and the rhythm of the song. Her blood was already starting to run hot at the way Chloe moved, her hands sliding down toned thighs and slipping ever so slightly under Chloe's own tiny dress.

The song was over far too quickly, and Jess appeared out of nowhere with shots for everyone. Chloe squealed in happiness and stepped away from Beca to hug her best friend. Beca exchanged glances with Stacie, letting her know she was not doing shots tonight.

"No."

"Oh, hell yes!"

Beca sighed, resigned to her fate as Stacie pressed the small glass into her hand and tipped it back quickly.

"Five more and we'll be in business!" Stacie grinned, taking the empty glass from her and spinning back towards the bar.

Beca shouted after her but to no avail, deciding to follow after her seeing Chloe already dancing happily with Jess and Aubrey. She lost the tall brunette in the crowd of people, finally reaching the bar and shoving her way into a spot beside her.

"No more shots, Stace."

Stacie winked at her. "Come on, Bec! Live a little!"

A tap on her shoulder distracted her from answering, turning her head to find a pretty blonde on her other side.

"Are you Beca Mitchell?"

Beca nodded, only for the girl to lean in closer towards her ear. "If you won't let that tall drink of water buy you a drink, maybe I can persuade you?"

Beca's eyes widened as she pulled back, putting a little more space between them. "Uh, thanks, but I'll have to..."

The blonde cut in quickly, saying, "Accept? Wonderful. It's Danielle, by the way."

Beca glanced down and finally shook the girl's hand, turning to glance back at Stacie for help only to find her friend had magically vanished. Apparently she was on her own.

"Nice to meet you," Beca answered lamely, "But I'm actually here with someone and I should probably..."

"Stay and have a drink with me?" the girl interrupted again, her coy smile starting to irritate Beca more and more. "I agree. Come on, one drink."

Beca hesitated again, feeling more and more uncomfortable at the way the blonde reached out and placed a hand on her arm. She glanced toward the dance floor to see Chloe moving swiftly towards her, eyes narrowed. Beca quickly pulled her arm away just in time for the redhead to arrive beside her, sliding a hand along her jaw and pulling her in for a steamy kiss.

Chloe finally released her lips, and turned to look at the blonde beside them. "Hey baby. Who's your new friend?"

Beca bit her lip at Chloe's tone, knowing the redhead wasn't at all amused by the blonde's attempts to flirt with her. "Uh, this is... um..." She trailed off, still a little flustered after their kiss.

Chloe let out a satisfied chuckle. "That's what I thought," she said, taking Beca's hand and pulling her away from the bar, tossing a, "Nice to meet you," over her shoulder.

"Nothing happened," Beca said when Chloe spun to face her somewhere on the dance floor. "It's been a while since I've seen you get jealous."

"I had nothing to be jealous of," Chloe shot back, pulling her closer and starting to dance.

Beca laughed at that, asking, "Seriously? You were so green back there you coulda been the Grinch."

Chloe's eyes flashed at her, and Beca knew she was in trouble now. "Were you trying to make me jealous?"

"What?" Beca protested immediately. "Of course not! Why would I do that?"

Chloe shrugged, though her eyes held Beca's attention with a bit of mischief in her gaze. "No idea why you'd want that when you already have all of this," she answered, pressing a thigh between Beca's legs and pulling her closer.

Beca felt each movement of Chloe's hips, perfectly in time with the music, stoking the fire already burning hot inside her. Her hands wandered over Chloe's back and down until they covered her ass, feeling victorious at the resulting moan. It seemed Chloe accepted her challenge, pressing her lips to Beca's neck as she grinded against her.

"Fuck, Chlo..." Beca gasped, loving and hating that Chloe knew every button to push. "Let's go home," she whispered, letting a hand slide up her thigh under her dress so Chloe knew exactly what she wanted.

Instead, Chloe spun away with a wink, leaving her aching saying, "Mm... I think I need another drink!"

* * *

A few hours later, Beca was five shots and four more drinks in and jumping around on the dance floor with Stacie. She'd been recognized a few times, each brave soul getting chased away almost immediately by Chloe, who'd grown more jealous with each drink consumed to the point where she'd been glued to Beca's side until a few minutes ago when she returned with Jess to the bar.

A hand trailed across her back before an attractive brunette appeared in front of her, far closer than what was socially acceptable.

"Hi," the girl shouted over the music, stepping even closer even as she kept her hand hooked over Beca's shoulder.

Beca frowned pointedly at the hand on her shoulder, but her brain wasn't processing things at normal speed. "Hi," she shouted, trying to take a step back.

"Dance with me."

It wasn't a request, more of a command, and Beca fought through her fuzzy brain to slur, "No! I'm gettin murried!"

The girl shot her a confused look. "What?"

Before Beca could answer, someone roughly pulled her back away from the girl.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Beca steadied herself on shaky legs, looking up into the stormy eyes of her fiancé and grinning widely. "Chlo!" She shouted excitedly, immediately launching herself into the redhead's arms. "You're back!"

Chloe's eyes flashed dangerously at the other girl, who shrugged innocently and slyly winked before disappearing into the crowd.

Beca remained oblivious to Chloe's irritation, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek.

"Are you going to flirt with every girl here except me?!"

That got her attention, and Beca pulled back to look at her fiancé, forcing her brain to focus. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Beca said back, completely confused. "I asked you if you wanted to go home with me like three hours ago! You shot me down! Don't even get me started on the past two weeks, Chloe."

When Chloe didn't respond Beca spun on her heel and stalked off towards the door. She was sobering up fast and growing more and more pissed off. Chloe had no right to accuse her of that when Beca had been trying to flirt her way into the redhead's pants for weeks to no avail.

"Whoa, hey... where are you going?" Stacie grabbed her arm, stopping her.

Beca looked up at her, feeling torn between yelling and crying at how frustrated she felt. "I'm going home. Chloe just accused me of ignoring her and flirting with other girls and I'm really fucking horny and she won't sleep with me and I'm just done. I'm going home and crawling into bed and hoping that tomorrow night all the stereotypes about marriage being the end of sex is a lie."

By the time she finished Chloe had caught up with her, followed closely by Aubrey, Jess, and Ashley.

"Bec," Chloe started, but she was cut off.

Beca held her hand up. "Just stop, Chlo. I don't know what's going on and I don't care anymore. Just tell me that you still want me and all this shit will go back to normal tomorrow."

"It was Bree's idea! It was supposed to be fun and teasing and creating some anticipation for our wedding night so I could surprise you with something really sexy," Chloe blurted out. "Of course I still want you!"

Beca stared at her trying to process this new information, but Aubrey broke in as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Chloe! You didn't tell her?!"

Beca looked between the two friends, taking in Aubrey's incredulous expression and Chloe's guilty one.

"I told you to tell her! It's not supposed to be a secret!"

Beca pointed a finger at Aubrey, declaring, "What is your deal, Posen?!"

"Beca," Chloe started again, but Beca only shook her head, mumbling something that sounded like Aubrey would always be out to get her.

Aubrey crossed her arms at that, retorting, "I only suggested it in the first place because Stacie told me you defiled my desk."

Beca's jaw dropped as she turned her stare on her best friend, who's eyes were shooting daggers at the blonde. Aubrey's hands clapped over her mouth, clearly not intending to reveal that piece of information.

Jess broke the silence with a loud laugh. "This is some soap opera stuff right here."

"Stacie... why? Why would you tell her that?" Beca groaned, hiding her face in her hands.

Stacie shrugged, still immune to embarrassment. "Chloe was trying to convince her that you don't hate her. I thought it would help to know why you're so weird around her. And it was forever ago... really not that big a deal."

Beca looked at the three of them, trying to put it all together. "So you," she started, directing her gaze at Aubrey, "found out I had sex on your desk years ago and retaliated by telling Chloe not to sleep with me?"

Aubrey shook her head. "No, that's not how it happened at all. Chloe was trying to think of a gift to get you for the wedding and I suggested you guys stop having sex for two weeks and then she could surprise you with lingerie. But I told her to TELL you... and I didn't find out about the... desk... until afterwards."

It was Beca's turn to shake her head, taking a moment to be amazed their group had been left alone in a corner of the club to undergo so many revelations.

"This is all stupid," Beca finally said. "Why the hell would you want to stop having sex after last year?" She asked Chloe, waving the redhead off to let her know it was rhetorical. "I guess no one's having sex then."

Both Stacie and Aubrey shook their heads, speaking at the same time.

"Not exactly."

"No... just you. And Chloe."

Beca looked between them, annoying that both of them were just waving it out there like a flag that they were getting laid. "I hate you both," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Chloe suddenly crossed the space between them and took Beca's face in both hands, pulling her in for a deep kiss. Beca pulled back, still a little annoyed at finding out the truth about the last few weeks, only to freeze at the desire in Chloe's eyes. It drew her in, that gravity that was always pulling them closer together, that thing that made Chloe irresistible to her. Deciding not to fight it, Beca wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist and kissed her back, tugging her closer.

Chloe pulled away and Beca could see the wheels turning in her head, wondering what idea was running through her fiancé's mind and desperately hoping it involved them wearing significantly less clothing.

"Bree, give me your car keys," Chloe said, holding out her hand.

Aubrey shot her a suspicious look. "Why?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Come on, Bree. Please?"

"What are you going to do, Chloe?"

Chloe didn't answer, but the glint in her eye must have given her intentions away, if the horrified look on Aubrey's face was any indication.

"No. Absolutely not. That's my car, Chloe... I have to drive it every day... Hey!"

Beca grinned as Stacie snatched the keys out of the blonde's purse and tossed them to Chloe, who them in one hand.

"Thanks Bree! I owe you!" Chloe shouted as she grabbed Beca's hand and tugged her across the street to the dark parking lot where Aubrey had parked her convertible. Beca was thankful once more for Stacie stepping in front of Aubrey to keep the blonde from following them.

"Chloe, you're insane if you think I'm going to let you drive. Do you have any idea how much alcohol both of us..."

Chloe spun Beca against the side of the car and kissed her hard, stepping forward until their bodies were pressed tightly together. She didn't try to control herself, instead letting her hands roam over Beca's thighs left bare by her short dress. Pulling away from her lips, Chloe kissed a trail down Beca's neck, reveling in each gasp and moan she drew from the brunette, murmuring, "No one's driving anywhere."

Beca groaned in disappointment when Chloe leaned back and unlocked the car, pulling open the passenger side door and shoved her down into the seat. Before Beca could complain, Chloe climbed onto her lap and straddled her hips, reaching over to pull the door shut. Beca looked up at her with dark eyes, hands sliding up her thighs and pushing her dress up higher on her hips making Chloe whimper.

Chloe pressed down against Beca and found her lips again, their tongues twisting before they parted for air.

"Chlo... this is Aubrey's car..."

Chloe smirked at Beca's hesitant look, nodding her answer.

"She's literally going to kill..."

Chloe covered her lips again, effectively shutting her up, and at the same time let her hand wander down between Beca's legs where her own dress had ridden up.

"Want me to stop?" Chloe murmured.

She watched the conflicting emotions cross Beca's face, wondering if fear or lust would win out. She'd stop if Beca wanted to, though it might kill her. Chloe felt hot, overwhelming need all over, her desire for Beca burning past all rational thought.

Beca slid a hand around her neck pulling her down into another kiss.

"Don't stop."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another shoutout to my awesome beta Arsto! You won't find a better one out there folks!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's followed this little world from the beginning, as well as everyone who joined this story already in progress. We've almost reached the end, just one more chapter and maybe an epilogue. All your support has really meant a lot to me, so THANK YOU!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Pitchmas! My Christmas present to you is to invite you to a Bechloe wedding ;-). Cheers and Happy Holidays!
> 
> Music:
> 
> I'm Yours – Russell Dickerson
> 
> Helium – Sia

* * *

Beca blinked her eyes open, squinting at the light flooding into the familiar bedroom and rubbed her hands over her face to block it out for another second. It hit her all at once, the importance of the day weighing heavily on her mind along with the million other emotions that came with it.

Today was the day she was going to marry Chloe Beale.

"Holy shit," Beca murmured, sitting up a little in the bed and running her fingers through her hair. "I'm fucking getting married today."

It was the day she literally thought would never come, and yet here she was on the brink of tying her life permanently to someone else's. Not just anyone though, that would be a woefully inadequate way to describe what she has built with the redhead over the past 4 years.

Chloe was her soulmate. Beca had firmly shot down any notion of such a thing as soulmate's for a long time, but there wasn't a more appropriate term for how she felt about Chloe. The redhead had entered her life and tipped everything on its head, making her realize that not only could she fall in love with someone, but that she could trust someone enough to love her back. Her world was brighter with Chloe in it, and Beca had long ago accepted that no amount of success could make her feel the way she felt when Chloe was beaming that perfect smile in her direction.

"Oh good, you're awake," Stacie quipped, entering the room with a cup of coffee in each hand. "Is it weird being back in your old bed?"

Beca glanced around the room she'd spent so much time in growing up, gratefully accepting the mug from her best friend. "The room is the same... it's just missing someone, is all."

Stacie nodded, sitting down on the bed beside her. "Even after your little... reunion... last night?"

Beca smirked as the memory came flooding back. Chloe had been so insistent, claiming her lips over and over straddling her hips in the passenger seat of Aubrey's convertible. She'd been irresistible, and after the two weeks of teasing Beca had been in no shape to turn her down.

"You know you guys went at it for two hours?" Stacie commented with a slightly disbelieving shake of her head. "We had to get Aubrey completely trashed to keep from killing both of you."

Beca tipped an imaginary cap to the brunette. "Much appreciated. I'll get the car detailed..." She trailed off at Stacie's expression. "Or buy her a new one," she amended with a shrug. "Whatever it takes for her to not kill me."

Stacie hummed, "I'd go with the latter, if it were me. Unless she blacked out and doesn't remember."

"A girl can dream," Beca sighed. "Guess I'll shower. What time is it?"

"Almost one."

Beca's eyes widened. "What?! In the afternoon?"

Stacie smirked, retorting, "We didn't even break up your marathon sex session until about three am, so yeah... one in the afternoon. You've got time."

A million thoughts ran through her head of everything she needed to do before her hair and makeup stylist arrived. Beca took a deep breath, forcing her heart to stop racing by picturing her fiancé that would become her wife in a few short hours.

"You okay, Becs?"

Beca nodded, shooting her a weak smile. "I'm getting married today. How fucking insane is that?"

Stacie just smiled and shook her head. "Bec, I've known you almost my whole life. I can't imagine someone more perfect for you than Chloe, I don't think I've ever seen two people more meant for each other than you two, and I couldn't be happier for you."

Beca swallowed, hating that she was already getting emotional. It was going to be a long day if that speech from her best friend was any indication.

"Thanks for standing up there with me today." Beca glanced over at Stacie, who grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze in return.

"What are best friends for?" Stacie replied, adding, "Besides making sure everything is perfect for your wedding and packing your bags for your honeymoon and really just being a blessing in your life."

Beca laughed, nodding, "Yeah, I think that about sums it up."

A soft knock at the door had them both looking up to see Sheila peeking inside.

"Come on in," Beca said, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Sheila pushed the door open wide and entered the room, coming over to give Beca a hug.

"I'm so happy for you, kid," the blonde whispered in her ear.

Beca bit her lip, struggling to control her emotions once more. "Don't get all weepy on me yet, Stepmonster," she joked, though her voice cracked a little. "It's gonna be a long day... there's plenty of time for that later. Like when I see Chloe in her dress, or when dad sees me in my dress, or when he's walking me down the aisle..."

Sheila chuckled, pulling back and nodding in agreement. "You're right... I'm just thrilled for you and Chloe. You two have been through so much, and you deserve a wonderful life together."

"Good thing I'm not going anywhere then," Beca replied, grinning. "Except to shower."

"Wait a minute," Sheila said, holding out a small box Beca hadn't noticed before. "I've got something for you."

Beca looked up at her curiously, taking the box and slowly opening it to reveal a stunning set of sapphire and diamond earrings. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she looked at them, eyes flying back up to meet Sheila's.

"I wore them the day I married your dad," Sheila said, a happy smile on her face. "It was one of the happiest days of my life, and I thought that since your dress has some blue in it, you could use something borrowed."

Tears sprang to her eyes as she carefully set the earrings on her nightstand along and stood up to hug her stepmother tightly. "Thank you," Beca managed.

"I love you, kid," Sheila said, hugging her back.

Beca sniffled, replying, "I love you too."

* * *

A profound sense of disbelief had settled in her stomach, as though she couldn't believe this day was actually happening. Beca had to remind herself more times than she could count that it was indeed her wedding day. It had seemed so far away for so long that it was hard to grasp the reality of it being here, and knowing that in a few hours she'd be watching Chloe walk down the aisle to meet her at the end.

At the same time, a happiness was constantly exploding inside her like a never-ending fireworks show, bringing a wide smile to her face every time she thought of Chloe officially becoming her wife. It was a feeling, an emotion she had never felt before, even during the happiest of times with the redhead, and Beca was barely able to sit still from the combination of excitement and anxiousness.

"Bec?"

Beca spun around to see Stacie holding up a hanger with her dress on it.

"Fuck... okay, yes, I'm ready," Beca stammered. "I meant that in a good way," she clarified, feeling stupid since she knew Stacie understood her as well as anyone except maybe Chloe.

"I know," Stacie assured her.

Beca reached out for the dress, not realizing for several seconds that her hands were shaking. She reached up to run her fingers through her hair, hands freezing seconds before they completely ruined the elegant curls her stylist had artfully draped over one shoulder.

"What is happening to me?" She mused out loud, letting out a slightly incredulous laugh.

Sheila spoke up from the doorway, "Nothing. You're about to get married, kid. It's kind of a big deal."

Beca nodded and shed her robe as Stacie held the dress open for her to step into, waiting until she maneuvered it into place before zipping up the back.

The dress was a stunning as she'd pictured it when they mis-matched it together in the store. The seamstress had done an unbelievable job of turning their vision into a final dress, and Beca spent a long minute staring at her reflection in the mirror.

She eventually forced herself to move, carefully taking the earrings Sheila had given her earlier to wear and put them in one by one.

"Something borrowed, something blue," Stacie ticked off on her fingers, glancing at her in the mirror. "Something new?"

Beca pointed to the open shoe box on her bed that held the brand new strappy heels she'd bought to go with the dress, since apparently her wedding band didn't count.

"Ah," Stacie nodded appreciatively. "Love those. And what about something old? That's the last one, since we're clearly superstitious."

Beca looked around the room, spotting her bag in the corner and retrieved the small necklace from an inside pocket. Running her finger over the charm, she closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment of sadness that her mom wasn't here to see her get married to the love of her life.

She remained silent as she reached behind her neck and hooked the clasp, letting her fingertips trail back over the coda charm once more against her chest.

"My mom's," she said softly, biting down on her lower lip to keep from crying. "Fuck I'm going to cry so fucking much today."

Sheila stepped into the room at those words, wrapping her in a gentle hug from behind. "But they're happy tears, kid. The best kind. And I can promise you she would be so proud of the woman and person you've become. I know your father and I are."

A tear slipped down her cheek at that, and Beca wiped carefully at it to keep from ruining her makeup.

Stacie chimed in, "Besides, that's what waterproof mascara is for. Cry away."

Beca shook her head, turning around and pulling Stacie into the hug with Sheila. She really loved them both more than words could ever articulate, even if she was good with them. They'd been there for her through the good and the bad, and Beca wouldn't have wanted anyone else with her for one of the most special days of her life. The only person missing now was...

An uncomfortable sounding cough came from the door, causing all three women to turn toward the sound.

"Um... Bec, the limo is here and we should really get going..." Ben's voice trailed off from somewhere out of view, but his hesitant tone had all three of them smiling.

Stacie grabbed her phone and started recording just as Sheila called out to him, "Ben, it's okay. Come on in, honey."

Beca held her breath as her father turned the corner, determined not to cry anymore... or at least until she saw Chloe. That thought lasted about two seconds as she took in her father's face when he saw her, his eyes shining with tears and lips trembling with the effort of trying not to cry.

"Bec... you look beautiful," Ben managed, reaching up to wipe at his eyes.

Beca felt tears pool in her own eyes again instantly, muttering, "God damnit," as she wiped at them just as carefully as before.

Ben crossed the room and pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you so much, Beca."

"I love you too, Dad," Beca mumbled, holding onto him.

After a moment he stepped back to get another look at her. "You look stunning, sweetie," he said with a smile and a shake of his head. "It's a stunning dress. Chloe is going to love it."

Beca blushed, moving to the bed to grab her shoes and slip them on. "I can't wait to see her. I'm a ball of excitement and nerves and happiness right now, and I just need to see her."

Ben glanced at his watch. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Beca looked up at Stacie and smiled, nodding her head.

"Yeah, I'm actually really fucking great. I'm about to marry my soulmate," Beca answered, not even cringing when she said the word. "It's actually kinda funny how the nerves have gone away and I'm just like... let's do this."

Stacie laughed at her as she paced around their small guest room, finally saying, "I'll go check and see if everyone's here and they're ready to start."

Beca nodded as the brunette left the room, her anticipation heightening knowing that Chloe was just a few feet away getting ready in their bedroom. The knowledge that her future wife was so close had her slowly pacing around the guest room, unable to stay still.

She had been forced by Stacie and Aubrey to sleep at her parent's house, both women claiming it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding and a few hours wouldn't kill them. Beca had tried to point out it was already technically their wedding day, desperate to get Chloe naked in their bed, but she'd been overruled, with even the redhead eventually agreeing to separate houses for their last single night.

The door opened and Beca jerked her head up to see her father.

"Ready, Bec?"

Beca took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm ready. Time to get hitched."

Beca walked forward and slipped her hand around her father's arm, letting him lead her to the backdoor. She hadn't been very involved in much of the decorating plans, and had no idea what Chloe dreamed up to transform their backyard into a makeshift wedding venue. Knowing the redhead it was going to be stunning, and the sight actually took her breath away when Ben opened the door.

The sun was very low in the sky, covering the whole area in a soft glow made even more special by the white lights artfully strung up. One half of the yard contained white wooden chairs that were set up along either side of an aisle ending with a simple arch, decorated beautifully with flowers. Nearby the arch but off to the side was a string trio comprised of a cello, violin, and bass, and Beca smiled as the soothing melody reached her ears. The other side had a dance floor set up near the firepit with tables and chairs on the other side for the reception. Squeezed between the dance floor and the fence was a simple DJ setup, and at the far end of the yard past all the reception tables was the bar.

Beca noticed the change in music, meeting her dad's eyes as they started the slow march off the deck towards the aisle. Everyone stood up as they approached, and she smiled at a few people before looking down the aisle to see Isaac waiting patiently beneath the arch dressed smartly in a black suit, Stacie grinning by his side.

She clearly remembered the day Chloe had approached the subject of who would officiate, surprised that the redhead had been the one to suggest Isaac. Beca hadn't put any thought at all into who would perform the ceremony, and was both surprised and a little ashamed she hadn't thought of her longtime driver and friend. He'd gotten a strange look on his face when she asked him if he'd officiate, clearly emotional before nodding his response and saying he'd be honored to.

The walk down the aisle seemed to take about five seconds, and before she knew it Ben was kissing her cheek and stepping back to stand beside Sheila. Beca gave her stepmom a quick smile, glancing around at the guests but finding her eyes constantly returning to the back door that would soon open to reveal her future wife. She turned her head to look at Stacie, the brunette's responding wink making her grin too.

Stacie's eyes were drawn back towards the house, and Beca anxiously followed her gaze to see Jess stepping out onto the deck looking gorgeous in the gray dress Chloe picked out for her. As quickly as her own walk down the aisle passed, Beca felt like it took Jess an eternity to cover the same distance. By the time Jess was standing on Isaac's other side, she thought her heart might beat out of her chest with how hard it was pounding. Beca's breath caught when the door opened and Christan appeared, turning to extend his hand back through the door.

Beca was certain time stopped when Chloe stepped over the threshold, looking more beautiful than she could have ever imagined. Her lips curved into a smile as she watched her fiancé take her father's arm, listening to the low gasps as everyone else finally caught a glimpse of her.

Beca cursed herself for being so short as she lost sight of Chloe behind the guests as they stood up, finally getting her first good look when she and Christian reached the end of the short aisle and it took her breath away again. She barely heard Stacie's low hum of appreciation beside her, all her attention focused on the way Chloe met her stare and beamed a smile at her.

The dress was stunning, white with thin spaghetti straps that led to a deep v-neck showing off just the right amount of skin. She couldn't help the way her eyes wandered down following the lines of the dress, a little surprised that the top seemed extremely see-through. Not that she was complaining much, just that she wasn't sure how much of her fiancé their family's needed to see that evening. However, as Chloe got closer, Beca realized there was a floral embroidery that covered the top that was more or less opaque and trailed down past her waist before tapering off randomly. Chloe's red hair was down in soft waves that made Beca itch to run her fingers through it.

Beca let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as Chloe took the last few steps to stand in front of her, turning slightly to whisper something to Christian as he kissed her cheek. Christian smiled warmly at Beca as he retreated to his place beside Grace.

Beca reached out slowly and took Chloe's hand and helped her step up beside her, whispering, "You look so beautiful, Chlo."

Chloe squeezed her hand, whispering back, "You do too, Bec. Stunning."

They looked up at Isaac who took his cue to start the ceremony.

"Thank you everyone for being here today to witness this celebration of love. I've had the privilege of getting to know Beca and Chloe quite well over the past several years, and can say without a doubt that I've never seen a couple more deserving to stand in front of their family and friends to join their lives together forever."

Beca felt tears spring to her eyes as Isaac spoke about how his relationship with her had evolved over the years, tying in how Chloe had entered the picture and how they'd grown to display a love most people can only dream about. Another squeeze to her hand had Beca glancing to the side to see Chloe's eyes shining as well.

"Beca and Chloe wanted to exchange some traditional vows, along with some words of their own," Isaac said, motioning for them to face each other.

"Beca, would you please repeat after me?"

Beca glanced up at him, nodding that she was ready.

Isaac began, "I Beca Renée Mitchell, take you Chloe Elizabeth Beale, to be my wife."

Her heart was hammering in her chest again as she looked into Chloe's eyes. "I... Beca Renée Mitchell, take you Chloe Elizabeth Beale, to be my wife."

Beca listened carefully as he continued the vows, repeating after Isaac, "I promise to be true to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer..."

Isaac continued, "...and I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

Beca took a deep breath, finishing, "...and I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

Something about actually saying the words and making that vow made the emotional dam Beca had been desperately clinging to all day burst wide open, feeling Chloe drop one of her hands to wipe a tear that trailed down her cheek.

Isaac turned to Chloe, saying, "Chloe, please repeat after me. I, Chloe Elizabeth Beale, take you Beca Renée Mitchell, to be my wife."

Chloe looked back into her eyes, and Beca's heart swelled with how much love she saw staring back at her. How was it possible that someone as amazing as Chloe loved her that much? She would never know and she wasn't about to question it now.

"I Chloe Elizabeth Beale, take you Beca Renée Mitchell, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, and I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

Isaac smiled, looking back up to address everyone in attendance.

"The wedding ring is a visible symbol of the promises and vows you have willingly exchanged. The precious metals show that your love is your most precious possession, and the unending circle symbolizes that your love will never cease. In giving and receiving these rings, you again acknowledge that your lives remain joined in one unbroken circle."

Isaac produced a ring out of his pocket and handed it to Beca.

Beca carefully took it and slipped it over the fourth finger on Chloe's hand, saying, "With this ring I pledge my love and faithfulness to you always."

Beca slid the band the rest of the way onto Chloe's finger until it rested against her engagement ring.

Isaac reached into his other pocket and withdrew a second band, this time handing it to Chloe who accepted it immediately.

Beca watched as Chloe slid the sliver band over the fourth finger on her left hand, looking up to meet her eyes before she spoke.

"With this ring I pledge my love and faithfulness to you always," Chloe murmured, pushing the band the rest of the way onto her finger.

Isaac smiled, saying loudly, "Now, Beca and Chloe have each written a short vow of their own. Beca?"

Beca nodded, looking into Chloe's eyes as she recited the short vow.

"Chlo, I never thought this day would come for me... until I met you. You showed me hope and love and happiness when I needed it most, and I wouldn't be standing here today without you. You're the love of my life, and I promise you... I will love you endlessly," Beca breathed, thankful she'd managed to make it through her little speech without bawling like a baby.

Chloe couldn't say the same, and Beca smiled as the redhead sniffled at her words as she composed herself to speak.

"I love you so much. Beca, you were the most unexpected, amazingly wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. You showed me what it meant to be loved unconditionally, no matter the risks. We can survive anything life throws at us, as long as we face it together. You're my soulmate, and I'm yours."

It was Beca's turn to wipe at her eyes, shaking her head at the way Chloe so thoughtfully included the song lyrics in her vows, much the same way she herself had done. It only solidified the knowledge that Chloe was indeed her soulmate, the one person who loved and understood her exactly as she was and wouldn't change her for the world.

Isaac spoke again, jarring her back into the realization they were still standing in front of their friends and family and needed to finish the ceremony.

"Beca and Chloe, the vows and rings exchanged today symbolize the joining of your lives in marriage that is traditionally sealed with a kiss. By the power vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss the bride."

Beca rolled her eyes as they both hesitated, placing one hand along Chloe's hip and sliding the other along her jaw, pulling her gently into a kiss. They finally separated after what felt like hours, despite it only being a few seconds to the cheers and whistles of their friends and family, breaking into wide grins as they faced them hand in hand.

Isaac's happiness was evident in his tone as he said, "It's my great pleasure to announce to you, Mrs. And Mrs. Mitchell!"

Beca raised her fist in the air as everyone cheered again, leading Chloe back down the aisle and into the house for a few minutes while everyone transitioned into a cocktail hour. A photographer that Beca was only just now noticing snapped pictures of them at the end of the aisle as they made their way inside.

Beca tugged Chloe immediately into their bedroom, spinning her into a much more passionate kiss than the one they'd sealed their marriage with. When they finally broke apart for air, she ran her eyes appreciatively over her wife's dress.

"God, as stunning as that dress is," Beca murmured, lowering her gaze to Chloe's breasts. "I want to take it off you."

Chloe sucked in a breath, and Beca looked up to see her eyes darkening just in time for the redhead to pull her into another kiss, their bodies flush together. She parted her lips at the insistence of Chloe's tongue, tangling and twisting with her own to stoke the fire inside her even hotter.

"Put some ice on it! You've got guests waiting."

Stacie's voice from the doorway had Beca pulling back irritably, shooting her a glare. "I'm having a moment with my wife, Conrad. Do you mind?"

Chloe let out a happy squeal, kissing her again briefly. "Wife. My wife," she said, and Beca took advantage of the opening to kiss her again.

"My wife," Beca murmured against Chloe's lips, stealing one more kiss. "Okay, fine. Why are we being summoned again?"

Stacie rolled her eyes, answering with a single word. "Pictures."

* * *

Beca's cheeks were hurting from the smile she'd had plastered on her face for all the pictures, letting out a relieved sigh when they finally finished. Chloe took advantage of the moment when everyone else wandered off towards the reception area to pull her into a slow kiss.

Beca kissed her back. "Hey wife."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to break out laughing. "Hey yourself."

Beca laced their fingers together, leading her over to the smaller sweetheart's table that had been set up for the two of them so they could eat dinner.

The meal passed by fairly quickly, the caterers Chloe found doing an exceptional job serving out of their kitchen. Beca had been warned and prepared to barely eat at all, but whether due to the appetites of their guests or the small size of the party, she and Chloe were left alone to eat.

While she had the opportunity to eat, Beca was buzzing with excitement and barely picked at her food, insisting to Chloe she really wasn't hungry. Not liking the concerned expression on her wife's face, Beca nibbled at the roasted chicken and vegetables, occasionally indulging the redhead and taking bites from her fork.

As the staff began clearing the tables, Beca noticed the chairs from the ceremony had been cleared away and a table with their cake and cupcakes now stood on the opposite side of the yard. She grinned at Chloe, who gave her a rueful smile and small shake of her head.

"I can't wait to pimp my cupcake, babe," Beca said happily. "And shove cake in your face."

Chloe's eyes narrowed, replying, "Don't even think about it."

Beca shot her a challenging look, but the DJ interrupted the moment.

"If I could have everyone's attention, please? It's time for the lovely brides to share their first dance."

Beca rose from her chair and chivalrously extended her hand to Chloe, who accepted it to cheers. She led her wife onto the dance floor, grateful that Chloe had the foresight to order a temporary one instead of trying to navigate her heels over grass. Walking was one thing, but dancing was a whole other ordeal for Beca, and the heels didn't help.

She lived for the way Chloe's eyes lit up when their song started playing, the one Beca had written just for her. It filled her with such joy to know that Chloe loved her music, especially since the redhead was the motivation behind so mch of it.

Beca pulled her closer, loving the way Chloe instantly wrapped both arms around her neck, and leaned in close to start singing in her ear.

"I came to life when I first kissed you... the best me has her arms around you..." Beca trailed off as Chloe maneuvered to press a kiss to her lips.

Chloe finished the chorus for her, singing softly, "I'm yours."

Beca kissed her again, wondering if she could ever hear those words enough. Chloe was hers, forever. They'd just vowed to spend their lives together in front of their closest friends and family, and by this time tomorrow they'd be on their honeymoon back at their villa in Cabo, the one she promised Chloe they'd return to someday.

"How did I get so lucky?" Beca asked as they swayed on the dance floor.

Chloe winked at her, answering, "You're kinda sexy, baby. I'm still only in this for your body, you know."

"Tell that to the past two weeks," Beca retorted, unable to help herself.

"You weren't complaining last night, Mitchell."

Beca's eyebrows rose in delight at their banter. "Valid, but I still ended up in bed alone."

Chloe's eyes were full of promise as she said, "You won't tonight."

The song ended and the polite applause and clinking glasses had Chloe pulling her into a brief kiss. As they broke apart, Ben and Christian made their way over for the next dance.

Christian smiled at Beca, saying, "Can I borrow her for a dance?"

Beca grinned back at him, answering, "Just one," before turning to her dad who was stepping back from hugging Chloe. She took her dad's hand and let him lead her slowly around the dance floor.

"I was thinking about when all this first started with you and Chloe," Ben whispered in her ear, low so that no one else could hear. "I thought you were being young and naïve and foolish, and all of it would come crashing down in a huge mess."

Beca chuckled softly. "Thanks for having faith in me." After a moment she added, "But really... me too. And in a way it did, even if it was temporary."

Ben shook his head, saying, "No, not really. I think I was so upset because I knew it wasn't just a fling. There has always been something special about the two of you... and honestly Bec, I'm so glad you've found someone who makes you so happy."

"Thanks dad," Beca replied, her eyes shifting away from him to look at Chloe, smiling brightly at Christian. "She's the one."

"Well I hope so. You just married her so it would be really awkward if she wasn't," Ben quipped.

Beca shook her head before resting her cheek on her dad's shoulder until the song ended, trying to take in every second of this moment with her dad. She could feel him savoring it as well, both of them treasuring their time together more since her diagnosis. Beca knew her dad's worst fears had come to life with her cancer, and she was determined to make these special moments with him count.

"I love you, Bec... so much," he whispered as the song ended, shifting to kiss her cheek before pulling her into a hug.

"Love you too, dad." Beca finally stepped back, reaching up to wipe her eyes again.

She moved off to the edge of the dance floor, Chloe joining her instantly to wrap an arm around her waist. A waiter brought them two glasses of champagne as the DJ started speaking again.

"It's time to bring up the two lovely bridesmaids tonight to kick off the toasts!"

Stacie bounced to the center of the dance floor as the light chatter stopped, making Beca's smile freeze on her face. All she could hope was that Stacie didn't tell too many embarrassing stories.

"Hi everyone! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Stacie, Beca's best friend. I always knew Beca was someone special, which is of course why I tried to hit on her when we were in middle school. Fortunately for Chloe, she shot me down and we've been best friends ever since," Stacie started, raising her glass to Chloe as everyone chuckled at her little memory.

Beca shook her head despite Chloe's warm smile, muttering, "I'm sorry in advance for everything else she's about to say."

"Nonsense," Chloe whispered back.

"Bec, you're my best friend, and I'm thrilled you've found someone as amazing as Chloe to share your life with. Chloe, we didn't exactly start off on the right foot, but I've loved getting to know you these past few years and I don't believe there's anyone better in the world for Beca. You both deserve a lifetime of happiness, and in each other have found a love unlike anything I've ever seen before. To Beca and Chloe," Stacie finished, raising her glass in the air before taking a sip.

Beca was fighting back tears again as she clinked her glass with Chloe's and took a sip, stepping forward to hug her best friend tightly.

"Damnit Conrad you made me cry," Beca sniffled when they finally parted. "I thought you'd go funny and embarrassing."

Stacie blinked back a few tears of her own, whispering back, "There's always time for that later. I thought maybe short and sweet was better."

It was Chloe's turn next, wrapping Stacie in a warm embrace and thanking her for the kind words. Jess took her place in the middle of the dance floor, waiting until Stacie had walked off to the side to begin her speech.

"So, I'm Jessica, Chloe's best friend. We met in college by way of an A Capella group and had this instant connection. I knew we were going to be friends, and we ended up also being roommates for five years. I actually specifically remember the first time I met Beca. I gave her this really intense best friend speech and she didn't budge an inch," Jess said fondly, shooting her a smile and earning a chuckle from the crowd.

"I knew in that moment it was the real deal, something you can't fake. Anyone with eyes can see the chemistry and love between the two of you, and everyone should be so lucky to have love like that in their lives... it's something I know you won't take for granted. Ashley and I feel lucky to call you both friends, and wish you all the happiness and love in the years ahead," she finished, raising her own glass.

Chloe was crying before Jess finished speaking, leaving Beca's side to hug her best friend tightly and whisper something in her ear. Jess laughed at whatever she said, finally letting go and moving to hug Beca.

"What's so funny?" Beca joked, hugging the blonde and thanking her for the wonderful toast.

Jess rolled her eyes, whispering in her ear, "She said she was starting to wonder if she was going to have to tackle me and shut me up before I said too much. I wouldn't do that to you guys."

Beca shook her head, replying, "She's the dramatic one, no doubt about that."

"She is right here," Chloe interrupted indignantly, her hand slipping across Beca's lower back to rest on her opposite hip.

Beca leaned into her embrace, reaching up to kiss her cheek. "Love you!"

Chloe twisted to the side, kissing her deeply. "Love you too, baby."

* * *

Beca sighed happily as she and Chloe continued making their way around to say hello to everyone who'd made the effort to be there, feeling her wife give her hand a quick squeeze. Her parents and Sheila's parents were there of course, and any event with all the Beale's in attendance couldn't possibly be dull, Evan and Oliver always willing to dance and Eddie doing his best to keep up with his uncles.

Teddy and his wife Shannon were there, seated at a table with Scotty and Kommissar. Jess and Ashley had taken up seats at another table along with Aubrey, Jesse, Stacie and Nick, who'd flown out from New York to be there. Beca had smirked when Stacie told her she was bringing him as her date, wondering if her two friends had finally decided to give up pretending and try an actual relationship.

Chloe was leading her over to the next table where Isaac sat with his wife Hannah and their two daughters, who they'd met a few times now, along with Dr. Morris and presumably his wife. After a short conversation with Isaac and Hannah, looking around and spotting their girls on the dance floor with the Beale boys, they approached Dr. Morris.

He stood up, and Beca surprised herself by returning his hug. "Hey Doc."

"Congratulations Beca," he said warmly, before pulling back and giving Chloe a quick hug. "Chloe, you look beautiful."

Chloe blushed slightly, saying, "Thanks Dr. Morris."

"Tim, please," he corrected with a smile, stepping back and introducing his wife who had also risen to her feet. "I'd like you both to meet my wife Christy."

Beca shook the woman's hand with a smile, saying, "It's really nice to meet you."

Chloe followed behind her, opening her arms and giving the woman the classic Beale greeting hug. Beca shuffled to the side next to Dr. Morris as the women embraced.

Chloe finally stepped back, and Beca could see her eyes shining a little with emotion. "Thank you so much for coming. We... I'll never be able to thank your husband enough."

Beca gravitated instantly to Chloe's side, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in close, noticing that Christy moved a little closer to her husband at the same time.

"He told me about the two of you, nothing about your condition of course Beca," Christy quickly clarified, smiling fondly up at her husband before looking back at the two of them. "But he told me what an incredible couple you were, and I'm overjoyed that you two got the happy ending you deserve. Beca, I've seen how you have used your platform to bring attention to the difficulties of cancer, and want you to know we would love to help in any way possible. Anything we can do to see more happy endings like tonight."

Beca nodded, her emotions getting the better of her so she didn't trust her voice. Finally recovering, she said, "I appreciate that, and everything you did for me, Doc. Damn, every time I think I'm done crying for the night something else amazing happens and I just start again," she finished, wiping carefully at her eyes, making all four of them laugh.

Chloe leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple, sending a rush of love through her whole body. It forced Beca to take a moment and just marvel at how much she loved the woman beside her, this amazingly strong woman who'd fought and pushed and carried her at times through her toughest days when she felt like giving up.

Dr. Morris added, "Beca, don't forget that you fought like hell to come out a survivor. This wasn't just medicine, or something I did. Never forget that. You are a survivor because of you."

Beca smiled appreciatively at his words, glancing at Chloe as she said, "I'm a survivor because of her. She wouldn't let me give up."

He smiled back at them, saying, "Then I suppose it's a good thing you married her. Someone like that is nearly impossible to find."

Chloe blushed at the attention, interjecting a little humor into the conversation. "I'd have to agree, Tim," she said with a wink, giving Beca a nudge.

Beca chuckled as they thanked them once more for coming, standing still as the other two headed off towards the bar.

"Impossible to find, hmm," Beca said, arching an eyebrow.

Chloe nodded, "I'm basically a unicorn."

Beca laughed out loud at that, finally shrugging and nodding in agreement. "A unicorn, huh?"

"Yes, and this unicorn wants some cake," Chloe added, glancing over her should at the table that was now completely set up for dessert.

"Okay then. Cake it is," Beca agreed, steering them off towards the table.

It only took a few minutes for everyone to mosey across the yard to the tables set up with the cake and cupcake stations. They posed for a few photos next to the simple yet stunning two-layer cake topped with a classy white chocolate M.

"Would you like to do the honors, Mrs. Mitchell?" Beca asked, offering Chloe the knife.

The redhead's eyes darkened a little as she took the knife, and Beca felt the energy between them like a bolt of lightning. God she had no idea how she was going to make it through the rest of the night without getting Chloe out of that damn dress that was just flaunting her wife's cleavage at every glance.

"I would love to, Mrs. Mitchell," Chloe answered, lowering her voice a little to let Beca know she was feeling it too.

Beca leaned in to whisper in her ear as she made the first cut, "It'd be really rude to kick everyone out early, right?"

Chloe remained focused on the task at hand, though she quietly replied, "Extremely."

Beca sighed, running a hand over the smooth skin left exposed by the deep v cut of the back of Chloe's dress. "I can't help it. I want my wife."

Beca smirked at the slight shudder, adding a more firm pressure with her hand as Chloe quickly recovered and got the slice of cake onto a small plate, loving that she could still unsettle the redhead. Chloe grabbed a fork from the table and cut two small pieces of cake off the slice, each taking one with their fingers before she placed the plate back on the table.

"I'm just warning you now, Mitchell, do not get cake on this dress," Chloe's expression was serious, and it made Beca hesitate for a split second.

Beca took a brief pause to think it over, before nodding in agreement. "Really? No smashing?"

Chloe's eyes narrowed and she backed down, saying, "Fine, fine."

Beca should have known better, really. She was unprepared for the way Chloe's lips curled into a smirk and the way her eyes flashed mischievously and before she could react her wife had smeared the piece of cake all around her mouth, managing to at least get a small bite in. Beca retaliated with wide eyes as Chloe burst out laughing, managing to get some of the frosting over the redhead's lips.

"You liar! That's how we're starting off our marriage!"

Beca exclaimed, unable to even pretend to be that angry, especially when Chloe pulled her into a kiss. She tasted like spice cake and vanilla icing and Beca couldn't get enough. When they finally parted, Chloe laughed again and licked the remaining icing off her fingers. Beca's wounded expression vanished watching as Chloe purposely teased her, wanting nothing more than for her wife to put her tongue to work somewhere else.

"You okay, baby?" Chloe teased as they stepped off to the side so people could start getting their cupcakes.

Beca took advantage of the distraction of dessert, pulling Chloe a few more steps away and kissing her passionately, her tongue stroking purposely making the redhead go a little weak.

"It's not nice to tease," Beca murmured, her fingertips trailing over the bare skin of Chloe's back.

Chloe's eyes were dark when they met Beca's, her breathing uneven. "Back at you," she mumbled, still a little unsteady on her feet. "You know how I get when you do that thing with your tongue."

Beca kissed her again, this one much more chaste. "Good thing we have a lifetime to make it up to one another."

"True... and I'm gonna hold you to it," Chloe replied, kissing her once more. "Now come on, I know you've been dying to pimp a cupcake."

Beca's eyes lit up with excitement, immediately looking past Chloe back at the thinned out crowd around the cupcake table.

"You have no idea how much I've been looking forward to this," Beca said, tugging her towards the table.

Chloe followed with a light shake of her head, mumbling under her breath, "I've got a pretty good idea how much."

"I heard that, Beale."

Chloe stopped, tightening her grip on Beca's hand and forcing the brunette to spin back around to face her. "That's not my name anymore," she said, her voice low.

Beca's eyes shifted in recognition of her mistake and Chloe's tone. "Sorry, habit," she apologized, stepping back into the redhead's space. "How can I make it up to you, Mrs. Mitchell?" She asked suggestively.

Chloe leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You can make me a cupcake."

Beca's face lit up again like a kid at Christmas at the thought of decorating two cupcakes. "Deal."

* * *

Beca was full of cake and a little bit tipsy as she swayed on the dance floor with her wife. Her wife. The thought was still sinking in that they'd gotten married, though she was adjusting a little faster than she'd anticipated. Chloe was hers, forever, and she couldn't be happier about it.

The night was winding down, and several guests had already taken their leave. The catering staff had relocated dessert and coffee inside as Beca had agreed to open up their house for use, and were just finishing packing everything up. In lieu of gifts they'd asked guests who felt compelled to give something make a donation to St. Jude's, leaving no presents to open or relocate. Beca knew they had everything they needed anyways, and would champion the charity for the rest of her life for the good work they do.

The DJ announced the last dance, playing their song once more at Beca's request. She felt Chloe smile against her shoulder, and sang the whole thing softly in her wife's ear. It had been a truly magical night, full of love and support and fun, and Beca would remember it as perfect. How gorgeous Chloe looked in her dress, the happiness that flooded through her when they shared that first kiss, the playful banter and teasing that broke out after too long because that's just how they were... all of it was perfect.

They said goodbye to Chloe's parents who were staying at their house for a few extra days, and headed out the front door to the limo waiting at the curb to take them to their hotel for the night. Beca opened the door and helped Chloe inside, carefully sliding in after her.

The ride was short, filled with soft kisses and light reflections of the evening, and Beca had never felt more content in her life. They checked in and made their way up to the room, finding their bags already inside, a bottle of champagne on ice with two glasses beside a plate with several large chocolate covered strawberries and a note congratulating them on their marriage.

"Bec..." Chloe trailed off as the brunette wrapped her arms around her from behind.

"I love you," Beca murmured, kissing along Chloe's exposed shoulder and allowing her hands to finally wander where they had itched to touch all night.

Chloe moaned softly, indulging her for a moment before spinning slowly in her arms and kissing her. "I love you too."

Beca removed Chloe's dress almost reverently, carefully draping it over the chair in the room and turning back to find Chloe wearing nothing but the tiny see-through thong she'd almost ripped off her in the changing room of that lingerie shop. Beca froze at the sight, letting her gaze roam over her wife's body.

"Like what you see?" Chloe's tone was confident, sexy, making heat pool low in her stomach.

Beca nodded, moving slowly toward her and resisting the urge to touch, instead spinning around so Chloe could remove her dress, which the redhead wasted no time in doing. She stepped out of the fabric pooled at her feet, mimicking her actions of laying the dress carefully on top of Chloe's on the chair.

It was like everything happened in slow motion from there, Beca determined to remember every second, every movement, to cover every inch of Chloe's body with her lips as they tumbled into bed together. Every touch and sensation was heightened from the emotions of the day, moving in sync to drive each other higher until they came crashing over the edge together. Afterwards they lay facing each other, trading soft, slow kisses and caresses, neither wanting the day to end.

Beca finally turned over, sliding back until Chloe got the hint and wrapped her arm over her stomach, holding her close. She placed a soft kiss to the back of Beca's neck, whispering, "I love you Mrs. Mitchell."

Beca shifted and turned her head to capture Chloe's lips once more. "I love you too, wife."

* * *

Beca wandered out of their villa's little kitchen to see Chloe laying peacefully on the bed, curtains pulled open to let the breeze blow in off the water. It was the first night of their two-week honeymoon back in Cabo and Beca had one final surprise for her wife.

Their suitcases remained unopened against the wall by the bed, something Beca had no opposition to as she let her eyes roam over her wife's naked body. Her mind started to wander, thinking randomly about the life she came so close to losing. Looking at Chloe now, she saw exactly what she wanted from their future together.

Recalling what she told Chloe before they bought their house, Beca smiled and pictured Chloe pregnant, the love and laughter and children that would fill their home and their world.

"Whatcha thinking about, Bec?"

Chloe's voice startled her out of her thoughts, eyes focusing back on her gorgeous wife as she slid out of bed and shuffled over to her.

"From your expression it must have been something good," Chloe added, pressing a kiss to her lips. "What was it?"

Beca kissed her back, longer this time, finally murmuring against her lips, "I want to have a baby."

Chloe pulled back quickly, giving Beca a look at her surprised expression. "What?"

Beca hesitated, before steeling herself and following through with her statement. "I love you and I don't want to wait to start our family. Ultimately it's up to you babe... you know I probably can't..." She trailed off, knowing Chloe understood.

Tears quickly formed in Chloe's eyes as the redhead nodded, her voice thick when she said, "Yes. Let's have a baby."

Beca's grin spread instantly across her face, stretching ear to ear. "Yeah?"

Chloe nodded again, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Yeah."

After a moment, Beca remembered she still hadn't given Chloe her final surprise. "Hey, I've got one last wedding present for you," she said, crossing the room and grabbing her phone, tapping a few times on the screen before plugging it into a speaker.

She made her way back to Chloe as the music started to play, extending her hand dramatically and asked, "May I have this dance?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, but Beca could see she loved the gesture as her wife accepted her hand. She pulled Chloe close, listening to the piano intro that led into Sia's incredible vocals. Chloe froze as she listened to the lyrics, pulling away to turn and look at the phone.

Beca moved behind her, slipping her arms around her wife and placed a kiss on her shoulder, singing softly along with the music.

_Help me out of this hell_

_Your love, lifts me up like helium_

_Your love, lifts me up when I'm down down down_

_When I've hit the ground, you're all I need_

Beca stopped singing and let the rest of the chorus play, wanting to hear the second verse. She remembered writing this verse and how powerful it was. Sia's voice really took the song to another level with the emotion and strength and desperation she managed to channel into it.

"And if you let go, I'll float towards the sun,

I'm stronger, 'cause you fill me up

But when the fear comes, and I drift towards the ground

I am lucky that you're around"

Chloe slowly spun in her arms as the chorus played a second time, tears shining in her eyes. "You wrote this? This is the project you were working on with Sia?"

Beca nodded, "Yeah. I... uh... I wanted to write something for you, to show you how much you helped me. I couldn't have done it without you Chlo."

A tear slipped down Chloe's cheek as she pulled Beca into a tight hug. "It's so beautiful, Bec. I love it." After a moment, she pulled back to meet Beca's eyes, asking, "How is it possible that you love me like that?"

Beca smiled, leaning in to rest her forehead against Chloe's, answering, "Because you love me like that, and that's how you deserve to be loved. And I'll do everything I can to show you how much I love you every single day."

Chloe smiled back, placing a kiss on her lips. "Promise?"

Beca smirked, bringing her hand up to push a strand of hair behind Chloe's ear. "I promise you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot thank my beta Arsto enough for all her help and guidance and wisdom on this story. It's been a pleasure working with you, my friend.
> 
> Well, there you have it folks! There will be an epilogue to follow at some point (Everyone who's reviewed or PM'd me about Bechloe babies...you've been heard).
> 
> Thank you so much for all the love and support for this world! I did see PP3 earlier this week, which actually encouraged me to bang this chapter out and give these two the ending they deserved.
> 
> **We haven't settled on an idea for our next story yet, and are open to ideas! Feel free to PM me if you have an idea you'd like to see become a reality ;-).


	29. Epilogue Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Arsto here with the first part of the Epilogue! Enjoy!

  
_10 years later..._

Beca stood off to the side, glancing down at the incoming text notification on her phone before looking up at the latest crowd of people flooding into the baggage claim area at the airport. Her phone chimed again, reminding her she still hadn't read the message. Beca sighed, swiping the notification so that the message opened.

_Wifey [5:48PM]: Are they here yet?_

Beca rolled her eyes and restrained herself from typing back a sarcastic reply. It was the fifth text Chloe had sent her since she'd arrived at the airport ten minutes ago to pick up her in-laws, and Beca took a deep breath in an attempt to remain calm.

"She's your wife... you love her... she's nine months pregnant..." Beca mumbled under her breath, breaking into a smile as she spotted Christian and Grace. "Thank fucking God."

Beca pushed off from the wall and met a smiling Grace with a hug.

"Beca! Merry Christmas Eve!" Grace exclaimed, finally stepping back to look at her. "You look fantastic, honey."

"Thanks, Grace," Beca said, blushing slightly. "Feeling good, too. Hey Christian," she added, moving to hug her father-in-law.

Christian returned her hug, saying, "Hi Beca. Thanks for picking us up. We really could have taken a cab."

Beca waved his comment off, saying, "Nonsense. I was happy to do it."

"Chloe driving you nuts?" He said, with a sparkle in his eye.

Beca knew her guilty face gave her away, though she denied it anyways. "Never! She's the love of my life and she can do no wrong."

Grace chuckled at her, saying, "I'm sure that's not entirely true. She did say the other day that she's ready for this little girl to enter the world."

"Yeah, that's an understatement," Beca replied, as Christian headed over to the carousel to retrieve their luggage. "She's almost a week late and is not shy letting me know about it."

"Don't worry," Grace sympathized. "Your little girl will make her appearance soon enough. Maybe even on Christmas!"

Beca smiled, "That would be the best present ever. Anyways, how was the flight?"

"Oh, fine. I actually napped while Christian got some work done," Grace answered. "Did all our presents make it?"

"Yeah, Chlo wrapped them as they arrived." Beca shook her head fondly. "She was thrilled to have so many to put under the tree this year. Sheila delivered hers and dads a few days ago to add to the pile."

Christian returned wheeling two suitcases, and Beca immediately grabbed one of the handles. "All set," he said with a smile aimed at Grace.

Beca's phone rang as they began walking out of the airport toward the parking garage, pulling it out of her pocket and answering the familiar tone.

"Hey babe. They're here and we're walking to the car now. Be home soon."

" _Why didn't you text me back?"_

"Because I was talking to your parents," Beca explained patiently as Grace and Christian exchanged looks. "We'll see you soon."

" _Okay. Are you still picking up dinner on the way home? Don't forget my..."_

"Veggie pizza? Got it covered, babe."

" _You're the best. I love you!"_

Beca chuckled, "Love you too."

She hung up as they reached the car, helping Christian load the luggage into the trunk. Once they were all seated, Beca turned the key and started backing out of the space.

"Okay, let's go. You guys are okay with pizza, right?"

* * *

 

Beca pulled into the driveway of the new home they'd bought two years ago, putting the car in park and shutting off the engine. She carefully took the stack of pizza boxes while Christian grabbed the suitcases from the trunk, leading Chloe's parents through the open garage and into the kitchen. After setting the pizza on the kitchen counter, Beca wandered into the family room to find her wife relaxing on the couch.

"Hey babe." Beca made her way over, leaning down to place a kiss on her wife's lips. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I'm ready to pop," Chloe replied, kissing her back before letting Beca help her up, hand resting protectively over her belly. "Hi Mom... hi Dad."

Beca stood back while Chloe hugged her parents, freezing and listening intently as the faint footsteps she thought she heard became louder until they were thumping down the stairs.

"Incoming," Beca joked, stepping back as three small bodies barreled into the room.

"GRANDMA!"

"GRANDPA!"

Beca rolled her eyes as the kids shouted in excitement, running over to hug their grandparents, moving instead over to wrap an arm around Chloe's waist.

"Chopped liver the minute the grandparents arrive," she muttered, making Chloe laugh. "Maybe we'll get luckier with the fourth."

One of the boys finally looked over at her from where he was hugging Christian, asking, "Mom did you get the pizza?"

Beca's eyebrows rose as all three turned to stare at her expectantly. "Yes, but since you all ignored me none of you get any pizza," she quipped, earning a light smack from Chloe.

"Fine. Boys set the table," Beca directed, resulting in matching groans before she could finish.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at the pair of them. "Ryan Benjamin and Blake Christian..."

Beca marveled at how Chloe didn't even have to finish the sentence before both boys hung their heads and trudged off into the kitchen.

"How do you do that?" She whispered, glancing off to make sure they were actually following directions.

Chloe rolled her eyes, answering, "I don't act their age half the time."

Beca shrugged. "Touche, wife," she admitted, turning to their daughter. "Which leaves you on drinks, Charlie," she said with a wink. "Maybe you can con your grandparents into lending you a hand while I help Mama to the table."

Christian shot her a knowing smile as Charlotte grabbed Grace's hand and tugged her into the kitchen after her brothers, following the pair of them.

Beca smiled, watching the scene play out in the kitchen as the boys jabbered on about one thing or another, remembering the day they'd found out they were having triplets.

* * *

 

_9 years ago_

_Beca had never been more scared or nervous or excited in her life as she stood beside Chloe in the small room, waiting for the ultrasound tech to give them their first look at their baby._

_Chloe had begged her to reconsider her stance on having her own biological children, but Beca remained firmly against the idea. She didn't want to risk passing on the possibility of cancer to her children, and nothing Chloe said could sway her. Beca also figured after her treatments she was most likely infertile, and eventually convinced her wife that their kids would be theirs no matter what._

_Instead they'd found a sperm donor with strikingly similar physical characteristics to Beca, Chloe especially was stunned by his striking blue eyes, and decided to give it a shot. After many tests and hormone treatments, one relatively painless procedure, three home pregnancy tests, and one blood test confirming Chloe was pregnant, they were back for their first ultrasound appointment._

_"Okay, let's see what we've got," the tech began, moving the wand over the gel on Chloe's stomach._

_Beca glanced at her wife, recognizing the look immediately. "It'll be fine, Chlo. I'm sure she's happy and healthy in there."_

_Chloe broke into a smile, replying, "She, huh? Finally admitting you want a little girl?"_

_"I want a happy healthy baby," Beca insisted, taking her hand and giving it a light squeeze._

_The tech smiled at their exchange, moving the wand again until a thumping sound echoed throughout the room. "That's a heartbeat."_

_Tears welled up in her eyes and Beca gripped Chloe's hand tighter, the sound of her child's heartbeat imprinting itself in her brain. The thumping sound changed slightly, causing her to glance curiously at the tech. Chloe didn't seem to notice, but Beca was sure the heartbeat quickened... like it was beating even faster._

_"Congratulations, looks like it's a little crowded in there," the tech commented after another minute._

_Beca's head shot up at those words, eyes going wide. "What?"_

_The tech paused, turning to look at the pair of them before slowly moving the wand as she spoke "Heartbeat number one... two... and three. Congrats ladies, you're having triplets!"_

* * *

 

Deciding to let Chloe join her on memory lane, Beca whispered, "Remember when we found out about the triplets? I almost passed out on the spot."

Chloe chuckled, gripping her hand a little tighter. "I remember that day... it was so unexpected, but also the best news ever."

Beca nodded, escorting her through the kitchen and into the dining room where pizza boxes were already lined up down the middle of the table.

"Can't argue with that," she said as she pulled out Chloe's chair.

At desperate looks from her sons, Beca rolled her eyes and said, "Go on. Dig in before you starve to death."

The boys cheered happily and grabbed slices of pizza, Beca immediately saying, "Jesus, normal sized bites! The pizza's not going anywhere."

Glancing at Christian, she mouthed, 'Beer?' At his nod, she grabbed two bottles out of the kitchen, twisting the caps off before re-entering the dining room. She handed him the bottle on her way to her seat beside Chloe, who was already working on the only slice missing from the veggie box.

"Guess I'll be a veggie pizza person tonight," Beca sighed, placing a couple slices on her plate as the pepperoni disappeared before her eyes. "Any thought as to how we're going to feed them when they become teenagers?"

Chloe shook her head. "Not a clue. Good thing I've got a super successful sugar momma who has a few years to figure it out."

Grace laughed, looking over at them. "How's work going Beca?"

"Great," Beca answered, setting her slice down and wiping her hands. "The studio is awesome and we've got a steady stream of clients. Doesn't hurt that almost everyone will travel to me so I can be home for dinner most nights. Gotta keep an eye on these rugrats."

Christian nodded, "The last few songs you worked on were excellent. Chloe told us they were yours, or we never would have known."

Beca grinned, "And that's exactly how I like it. I never really saw myself as an artist... no one was more surprised than me at the fact my career took that path initially. I'm much happier behind the scenes just making music."

"I'm sure working for yourself isn't the worst thing either," Christian added.

Beca shook her head. "Definitely not complaining," she agreed, knowing that buying the small space and starting her own recording studio was one of the best decisions she'd ever made. She had followed through on all her commitments to Big Machine before deciding to open her own studio to produce out of, without the pressures or restrictions from the label. Beca had dutifully fulfilled all her obligations to the label and they parted on good terms, understanding the choice she was making to put her family first. It didn't hurt that as she faded from public view, the media interest in her faded as well and they were able to live a relatively normal life, keeping their kids from being harassed by paparazzi trying to cash in on a photo.

Dinner went on without incident, which should have had Beca on edge knowing her kids, but she was still unprepared for the boys to suddenly topple to the floor out of nowhere.

"You cheated!"

"Did not! I beat you fair and square for the last piece!"

Chloe smacked her arm to get her attention, her eyes telling her to handle it.

Beca jumped to her feet to see pair wrestling half under the table.

"Ryan! Blake! Enough!" Beca shouted, causing them to freeze. "On your feet, gentlemen," she continued, in a much softer tone, waiting until they stood up. "Okay, explain yourselves."

They traded guilty looks but remained silent until she grew impatient. "Blake. Talk... now."

The oldest triplet by a whopping nine minutes and twenty-six seconds shot her a pleading look, before starting to speak at her unforgiving gaze "Ry and I had a thumb war for the last piece of pepperoni and he only won because he cheated and used his other hand..."

Beca held her hand up, effectively stopping his rambling. She had a soft spot for him, due in no part to his namesake who he reminded her of in the most random ways without any reason whatsoever. He was exceptionally bright, and had inherited their donor's dark brown hair combined with Chloe's crystal blue eyes that often held the mischief and impulsiveness that Beca had attributed not only to herself, but to the girl who'd so quickly become her friend those years ago.

Turning to her other son, she asked evenly, "Is this true?"

Ryan shook his head firmly, denying it immediately. "No! I won fair and square and he got mad used his other hand first so then I used my other hand..."

Beca held her hand up again, wondering when the last time was that she had such a simple problem to solve as who gets the last slice of pizza. She was forced to remind herself that in this scenario, both her sons would probably kill for that slice, and she needed to treat the situation with the appropriate level of importance.

"Okay, I've heard enough," she said, catching a glimpse of Chloe covering her mouth in an attempt not to laugh, and narrowing her eyes to let her know what would happen if she poked fun of the situation.

"Here's what we're going to do," Beca instructed, both boys staring at her hopefully. She turned and grabbed the final slice of pepperoni and cut it carefully down the middle, dropping a half onto each plate. "Happy? Can we postpone world war three?"

"What's world war three?" Ryan asked, munching happily on the slice.

"What's going to happen if your baby sister doesn't join the family soon," Beca joked, earning a glare from Chloe as they finished dinner without further incident.

* * *

 

Chloe's POV

 

"Thanks Dad," Chloe said as her father helped her settle down comfortably onto the couch beside her mother.

"I know it probably doesn't feel like it," Grace began, watching Christian return to the kitchen to help Beca and the kids clean up from dinner, continuing, "But you look fantastic honey. You're glowing."

Chloe shook her head, finding that incredibly hard to believe. "Thanks Mom, but I'm a whale," she disagreed, her hands resting comfortably over her stomach.

This pregnancy had been much easier than the triplets, and Chloe knew she should be more thankful for the relative lack of morning sickness and exhaustion. Still, she was almost as big as she'd been the first time around, and had even gained five more pounds which felt like weight she'd never lose again. Beca insisted she was as gorgeous as the day they'd met, but it's much harder to believe since she hadn't seen her feet in months.

"How's Beca been this time around?" Grace asked softly, her eyes returning to the kitchen where Chloe could hear shouts for cookies and hot cocoa.

An easy smile graced her lips at the mention of Beca's name, still as in love with the brunette as the day they'd exchanged marriage vows a little over ten years ago. "Amazing, of course," Chloe answered, blushing slightly when her mom met her gaze. "She's cut back a ton at the studio and has helped out so much with the kids, especially lately when I really can't do much."

"She's great with them," Grace agreed. "I suppose it's not that surprising."

Chloe shook her head with a small laugh, "No, I knew she'd be an amazing mom. It might get a little trickier when the boys outgrow her, though."

Grace chuckled, "Yes, well, I imagine they'll outgrow both of you. You could have picked a shorter donor."

"We found the one we wanted," Chloe said, her voice soft but firm.

It was hard for her at first when Beca refused to even consider the possibility of having children with biological ties to both of them, knowing that any of her brothers would be willing to help them start a family. Beca had been adamant, though, and eventually forced Chloe to picture a scenario where their future child was diagnosed with leukemia one too many times, effectively putting an end to those arguments. Chloe understood where her wife was coming from, and the thought of having to relive that particular nightmare with one of her children was almost unbearable.

Charlotte's little face popped up in front of her, shocking her out of her thoughts.

"Mommy, do you want cookies and hot cocoa?!" The little girl asked excitedly, her red curls with Beca's dark blue eyes never failing to make her smile.

"I'd love some, Charlie, but first I want a hug," she said, opening her arms.

The girl carefully leaned in and gave her a hug, whispering in her ear, "I don't want to hurt my little sister."

Chloe's heart warmed at her words, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Are you excited to meet her soon?"

Charlie pulled away nodding happily. "I can't wait to not be the only girl!"

Beca must have heard her from the kitchen, calling out, "Hey! What about me and mommy? Are we not girls?"

Charlie sprinted back into the kitchen, her response muffled by her twin brothers. Before long, the whole group paraded back into the family room with a large plate of cookies and mugs of hot cocoa for everyone. Christian sat down on Grace's other side after handing Chloe a mug, with Beca and the triplets claiming the floor.

Chloe shouldn't have worried about their kids not being biologically Beca's, as all three of them took after her in one way or another. It was extremely obvious in the moment, as Chloe watched all four of them carefully pick out a Christmas cookie and dunk it in their hot cocoa before taking a bite as if it were a choreographed routine.

She wasn't the only one who noticed, as Christian commented, "Guess I didn't get the memo about hot chocolate being the new milk."

Chloe laughed, shaking her head as Beca looked over at them curiously, her eyes telling her wife not to worry about it. She loved that Beca had jumped headfirst into parenting despite having no clue what she was doing. Not that Chloe did either, and with triplets they'd had to learn fast. They'd quickly worked out as much of a routine as possible, and Chloe found herself constantly turning to mush at the sight of Beca the plush rocking chair with a baby or two or three in her arms and doing everything she could to help out. It didn't go unnoticed, since keeping all three fed had Chloe struggling to find time to sleep.

But they'd made it in the end, and it was all worth it for moments like this when she got to sit back on the couch and watch Beca interact with their children, teasing and laughing and play-fighting over the biggest cookies left on the plate until they were gone. Chloe was so caught up in the feel-good moment that she didn't realize Beca was asking her a question until all four heads were turned in her direction.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, focusing on her wife. "What was that?"

Beca shot her a knowing smile, her intuition for Chloe's thoughts and feelings having only grown during their marriage. "I was asking which present the kids get to open tonight."

"Ah, right," Chloe said as the realization of their Christmas Eve tradition kicked in. She and Beca always let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve, and it was always a new game they could play together as a family. "That one," she directed, pointing her finger towards the tree.

Beca gave her a look, inching over to the pile of presents and placed her finger on one.

"No, that one. With the snowman paper," Chloe said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips at Beca's eye roll. "Yes, that one," she confirmed when her wife reached the right gift.

Beca grabbed the carefully wrapped box and stood up, turning to face the kids. "Alright, you know the rules. We play it no matter what it is, and the winner gets to play Christmas Elf in the morning."

Chloe laughed as the kids sat eagerly waiting for the box, all three ripping at the paper the second Beca set it down.

Beca moved over next to the couch, commenting, "I never know why they're so excited to be the Christmas Elf, but I'm convinced that making one of them do it and not having to do it myself is reason enough to have kids."

It was Chloe's turn to roll her eyes as the kids held up the TWISTER box triumphantly. "Because it makes them feel special to wear the special hat and hand everyone presents," she explained. "We should be thankful they're so eager to give presents instead of only receive them."

"Touche, wife," Beca agreed, before whining, "Chlo! You got them TWISTER?"

Chloe grinned and looked up at her. "Yeah, I was okay with getting them a game I didn't want to play this year," she said slyly.

Beca grumbled, "Wonder why. Now I have to make a total fool out of myself in front of your parents."

Christian chimed in, "Welcome to parenting. I'd have thought you learned that lesson by now."

"Many times over," Beca sighed, letting the boys pull her towards the center of the room. "Okay, okay, I'm playing since your Mama obviously can't."

Chloe smiled at her mom as they watched Beca help the kids open the box and set up the game.

Grace whispered, "I feel like I should video this."

"Please do," Chloe said, graciously taking the spinning board Charlie offered her.

"Mommy, you can spin and tell us what to do!" Charlotte said, excitedly clapping her hands and running back to the mat.

"I'm honored. Okay, everyone ready?" Chloe asked, raising her voice a little.

"YES!"

Chloe chuckled at the three screams and one silent glare from her wife. "That's everyone then," she said, spinning the pointer. "Right foot green!"

Hope you all enjoyed part one. Life is kinda heavy right now but we will get part 2 out as soon as we can. As always, thank you so very much for reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed part one. Life is kinda heavy right now but we will get part 2 out as soon as we can. As always, thank you so very much for reading!


	30. Epilogue Pt 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it!

* * *

Beca walked back downstairs through the now quiet house, glancing into the kitchen to make sure everything was cleaned up and put away before shuffling into the family room and collapsing on the couch next to her wife. Chloe moved her feet to allow her to sit, immediately stretching her legs back over the brunette's lap.

"Did they get to sleep okay?"

Beca shot her a tired smile, "Yep. They were little angels for your parents. They should really visit more often."

Chloe laughed, replying, "They don't want to do anything to end up on Santa's naughty list on Christmas Eve. Nothing to do with my parents. Speaking of Santa..."

Beca grinned, giving Chloe's legs a quick rub before sliding out from under them to make her way over to the cookies and milk the kids left by the tree. They'd been adorable this year, each insisting on decorating a cookie with their initials so that Santa knew all three had contributed. She grabbed one off the plate and took a bite, humming in satisfaction.

"You did good with the cookies this year, Chlo," she said, popping the rest into her mouth.

Chloe shook her head, slowly getting to her feet and making her way over to pat Beca's stomach. "I can tell," she quipped, laughing at her wife's glare.

"I'll spare you because you're pregnant and you obviously don't know what you're saying," Beca replied, though there was a smile playing at her lips.

"You still look super sexy, baby," Chloe amended, twisting a little to be able to wrap her arms around her wife.

Beca raised an eyebrow, asking, "Hormones? Trying to get on Santa's naughty list the best way possible?"

Chloe pulled back and lightly smacked her arm. "I can't think you're sexy without it being pregnancy hormones?"

Beca shrugged, turning and sliding her hands up Chloe's thighs, answering, "You're pretty on or off lately, and I mean... I'm not trying to brag, but I've been getting coal in my stocking for a very long time."

Beca knew she was correct in her assumption when Chloe's mischievous gaze turned heated, leaning in to give her a slow kiss to rile her up even more. After all their years together, Beca knew exactly what buttons to push to turn Chloe into a haze of desire, something made even easier by the flood of hormones from her pregnancy.

Chloe pulled back after a few minutes, taking a deep breath before meeting Beca's eyes. "Wait," she said, glancing around the room.

Beca tried to reconnect their lips, but Chloe shifted to face her and Beca found herself blocked by her wife's baby bump. "What's wrong?"

"You still need to put the presents from Santa under the tree," Chloe explained, slowly turning away and walking towards the kitchen.

Beca frowned, quickly moving to her wife's side. "And where do you think you're going, Mrs. Mitchell?"

Chloe smirked at her, something she'd picked up from Beca years ago. "I'll be upstairs in our bed waiting for you, so we can finish the last of our Christmas Eve traditions," she said with a wink.

Beca grinned, watching Chloe amble towards the stairs before dashing off to the spare closet where they'd hidden the rest of the presents, her jaw dropping as she flung open the door at the number of wrapped packages inside. Chloe had gone overboard with the shopping as usual, but Beca noticed some with Sheila's handwriting and assumed more were from Grace and Christian.

"Hurry up, baby," she heard Chloe call. "I'd hate to start without you!"

Beca sighed, mumbling under her breath as she started gathering up presents in her arms.

* * *

Beca shot straight up in bed, eyes still blinded with sleep at the happy yells and shouts coming from the hallway, followed by insistent banging on their bedroom door. Momentarily panicking, she rolled right off the edge of the bed looking for her shirt.

"Chlo! They're awake!" Beca hissed, knowing there was no way the redhead was still sleeping. "Where'd you throw my shirt?"

"Relax... that's what locks are for," Chloe mumbled, clearly not in a rush to get dressed.

Beca sighed in relief as she found her bra and shirt tangled together, trying to ignore the triplets long enough to get dressed.

"Hold on you ruffians!" Beca shouted at the door, getting dressed as fast as possible in the dark room. She made her way across the room to the door, glancing back in time to see Chloe shut their bathroom door with clothes in her hands. "Right, just me then," she muttered, twisting the handle and opening the door to see three ear-to-ear grins.

"Mom!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"It's Christmas!"

Beca couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "Merry Christmas, kiddos. Sure you don't want to wait for everyone else to get here to open presents? Or at least the sun to come up?"

Three loud shrieks of "NO!" gave her a resounding answer, and she chuckled with a shake of her head. "Too bad. We definitely have to wait for your Mama and your grandparents and your great grandparents. How about we go make breakfast while we wait, huh? I bet Mama and your little sister would appreciate it a lot."

Beca raised her eyebrow at the hesitant looks on their faces, before Charlie broke back into a smile.

"Yeah! Let's make our baby sister breakfast," she said happily.

Beca breathed a sigh of relief as the boys got on board quickly, racing each other downstairs to the kitchen. She dropped a kiss on Charlie's head, whispering, "And that's why you're my favorite daughter."

Charlie giggled, "Mom, I'm your only daughter."

"For now," Beca quipped, leading her down to the kitchen. "I can say it until your sister arrives... and maybe for a while after that when she won't let me sleep."

They reached the kitchen to see the boys holding a box of pancake batter, looking hopefully for her approval.

"Please mom?" Blake begged, and Beca knew she was in trouble.

"Fine," she agreed, before quickly taking the box from them to avoid powder everywhere. "I will mix up the batter and you can help me cook."

Grace and Christian joined them before long, with Chloe not far behind. Beca winked at her wife, recognizing the look on her face at the sight of them in the kitchen. The boys were standing on a chair beside brunette to be tall enough to flip pancakes, while Charlie occupied a second chair on her other side working to produce fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Beca poured Chloe a small cup of coffee as she joined her parents at the table, before going back to help the boys finish cooking.

"Go wish your mama and grandparents a Merry Christmas," she whispered to the kids, helping them down off their chairs.

Beca watched as they happily ran over and mobbed Chloe in a hug, wondering for a moment how she got so damn lucky. She got caught up in her emotions for a second too long, broken out of her daze by Ryan's voice.

"Mom! Our little sister is hungry!"

Beca rolled her eyes, grabbing the plate piled high with pancakes and set it in the middle of the table along with some maple syrup.

"Your sister or you?" Beca teased, ruffling her son's hair.

He patiently waited to Chloe to put a pancake on his plate before dousing it in syrup, thinking hard for a moment before looking over at the redhead, "Mama is she hungry?"

Chloe gave him a warm smile. "She sure is, and she's very thankful you three made her such a great breakfast! Are you excited to meet her soon?"

The question was only met with mumbles and nods as the triplets dug into their breakfast, and Beca glanced over to meet Chloe's eyes. "Just not today, okay?"

It was Chloe's turn to raise her eyebrow, replying, "She gets here when she gets here. Unless it's been more than three more days, and then she's coming out whether she wants to or not."

* * *

"Bec, where are your parents? I'm not sure how much longer we can make them wait," Chloe said, spotting the way the boys kept looking longingly at the presents under the tree.

Beca checked her phone again, before looking out the front window. "Any minute, Chlo, they'll be here any minute."

Thankfully it wasn't more than another minute before the familiar car pulled into the driveway, and Beca grinned happily. Turning back to face the kids, she clapped her hands to get their attention.

"Okay you three, they're here! Remember what we talked about," Beca reminded them as the triplets crowded around the front door.

She waited until the car was parked before swinging the door open, letting the kids run out to greet her dad, Joe, and Nancy.

Chloe stepped up beside her to watch the happy scene unfold, commenting, "Where's Sheila?"

Beca shrugged, answering, "Must have driven separately. I'm sure she'll be right behind them."

They stepped aside to avoid the kids rushing back inside the house, helping carry the rest of the gifts inside to the tree. The three adults weren't far behind, crossing through the doorway with hugs and kisses for both Chloe and Beca.

"Merry Christmas you two," Ben said, giving Beca an extra hug. "Sheila had to run one last errand but she should be here soon."

Chloe shook her head, stepping back from hugging Nancy. "I'm sure she's outdone herself, as usual. These kids are so spoiled... maybe we should take back some of their gifts."

Beca grinned at the twinkle in her eyes, knowing the kids were already back and evesdropping.

"No! Mama, we've been good!" Blake protested.

Ryan nodded, "I'm on the nice list! And I get to be the Christmas Elf this year!"

Beca knelt down and wrapped them both in a hug. "You're both absolutely right. We'll keep all the presents!"

The boys cheered and clung tightly to her, before letting go to race back to the tree. Beca stood up and placed a kiss on Chloe's cheek, before helping her along the hallway to the family room. Once Chloe was settled comfortably in the armchair and everyone else was seated on the couches or floor, Beca retrieved the Santa hat from the mantle and placed it on Ryan's head.

"As the winner of the Christmas Eve Mitchell family game, Ryan is our Christmas Elf this year!" Beca announced, leading a quick round of applause. "However, your Mama and I talked about it, and we decided that from now on, all three of you will be Christmas Elves," she said, producing two more hats from near the tree. Charlie and Blake yelled happily and jammed the hats on their heads.

"It's just as important to give gifts as it is to receive them," Beca said seriously, once the kids had calmed down. "You've all been so excited to open presents, right?" At their anxious nods, she continued, "By giving someone else a gift, you can make them feel that way. Isn't that awesome? That's your job as Christmas Elves. You get to spread the joy of Christmas by giving out all the presents under the tree. And your Mama and I decided all three of you should be Elves from now on because you'll have to teach your new sister how to be one, too."

"We will, Mom," Charlie said, her face serious. "We'll teach her how to be the best Christmas Elf!"

Beca's heart warmed at the way her son's nodded at the words. "I know you will," she said, placing a kiss on each of their foreheads. "Okay, get to it!"

* * *

Chaos. The only way to describe the next thirty minutes was pure chaos. The triplets dashed about bringing presents out from under the tree to their respective recipient, creating a small pile for Sheila next to Ben's. Once there were only a few gifts left for their friends that were coming later, the room descended into a frenzy of wrapping paper and string and bows and toys of all kinds.

Beca perched on the arm of Chloe's chair, fingertips gently rubbing the back of her neck as they watched their kids gleefully open their presents. She let her mind wander as Chloe opened their gifts from their family, knowing they'd decided not to buy each other anything this year and instead planned a trip for after baby number four arrived.

It was over rather quickly, and Beca held open a giant black trash bag for the triplets to dunk all the wrapping paper into. Once the room was clear once more, her phone's text message tone rang out. Beca quickly checked it, before clapping her hands once more.

"Okay, listen up kiddos," she said, waiting until she had their attention. "Grandma Sheila is here and she's got one more present for each of you, but you have to wait here while I go help her bring them in. Okay?"

The kids nodded excitedly, looking at each other. Beca nodded her approval and purposefully ignored Chloe's curious glance. "Dad, can you help me please?"

Ben shrugged and got up from the couch, following her out the front door to where Sheila was getting out of her car.

"Merry Christmas, Stepmonster," Beca said, giving her a tight hug. "Thanks for being awesome and helping me out with this surprise. Sorry you missed presents this year."

Sheila hugged her back. "Don't worry, this will more than make up for it. Plus, there's always next year."

Ben glanced between them, asking, "What am I missing, here?"

Beca grinned as Sheila popped open the trunk to reveal three puppies, each with a different color bow attached to the collar.

Ben's jaw dropped, looking back at Beca. "What have you done?"

Beca ignored him, stepping forward and lifting a puppy with a blue bowtie into her arms. "Well hello there, mister. You're going to my daughter and you're gonna be the only man in her life forever."

Sheila rolled her eyes, quipping, "Keep telling yourself that, kid."

"Hey, if I'd had a male dog it would have been true," Beca pointed out cheekily, setting the puppy down on the ground and grabbing it's leash.

Beca waited patiently for her dad and Sheila to each grab a puppy, hoping that the dogs were cute enough to keep her out of trouble with Chloe. They'd discussed getting another dog after Zeus passed away, but the kids had been at a tricky stage and they couldn't really help take care of an animal. Beca had brought up the idea again for Christmas, but Chloe wouldn't commit seeing as their lives were about to get thrown for a loop with the new baby. Beca argued that the dogs would occupy the kids and keep them from getting too jealous when most of their attention was elsewhere.

Chloe wanted to wait and Beca had agreed, until she stumbled upon this litter at their local shelter. The dogs were described as a lab/hound mix and Beca was told they wouldn't grow bigger than around forty pounds, which would be perfect for their kids considering she refused to just adopt one. The last thing she and Chloe needed was to try and handle the triplets all fighting over the one dog.

She'd chosen a male for Charlie and two females for the boys, in part because she liked the symmetry of it and also because it allowed her to choose three dogs that she could tell apart. The male was brown with black, german shepherd-like tinges on his face, ears, and tail. One female was the same color brown, but had three white paws that looked like socks, while the other female was completely black.

"They're going to love them!" Beca said, scooping the boy back up into her arms. "Ready?" She glanced back at Ben and Sheila who were each holding a puppy. "Great, let's go."

Beca stepped back through the door only to stop short to avoid running straight into her wife. Her very pregnant wife who had her arms crossed over her chest and an expression of disbelief on her face.

"Beca Renée Mitchell I know you did not buy three puppies without telling me."

Beca shot her wife a guilty look, recognizing the exasperation in her tone. "Of course I didn't," she replied quickly. "I rescued them," she corrected, shooting Chloe a smirk. "Look how cute they are!"

Chloe shook her head. "Why would you go rescue three puppies literally right before we have a newborn... just, why?"

"Because I love you and I love our kids and the triplets will be distracted by the puppies and it'll teach them about responsibility and discipline and all that shit your brother said when he got Eddie a puppy all those years ago," Beca rambled on, waiting for Chloe to give in.

Chloe studied the puppy in her arms for a moment, before fixing her stare on the brunette. "I'm not cleaning up after them or doing any potty training or training at all. Understood?"

"Totes," Beca quipped, earning herself a glare. She quickly made amends, saying, "I'll handle them, I swear. And you're the best wife ever. Have I ever told you how stunning you look, babe? And how kind and forgiving you are?"

"Quit groveling, I already said they could stay," Chloe grumbled, turning around and heading back for the family room. "I'll have the kids close their eyes... follow me in a minute."

Beca breathed a sigh of relief, glancing at Sheila's disapproving expression. "What? I knew she'd be fine with it."

Ben snorted as Sheila said, "It's crazy how much she loves you... you know that right?"

"Duh," Beca answered, focusing her attention on the puppy in her arms as she started down the hallway. "Hitting the jackpot would be a massive understatement."

Beca peeked around the corner into the room to see all three triplets sitting patiently with their eyes closed, grinning at the sight before leading the trio into the room.

"No peeking," Beca said loudly, moving to stand in front of Charlie and motioning Ben and Sheila to stop in front of the boys. "Okay, open your eyes."

The triplets instantly looked around, only taking a second to focus on the puppies now placed on the ground in front of them.

If Beca had thought it was chaos before, she had no words to describe the situation now. Charlie instantly grabbed the puppy into her arms and burst into tears, while the two boys screamed at the top of their lungs before starting to jump around excitedly. That only lasted for a moment before they each descended upon their respective dog to begin petting and playing with it.

Beca crouched down beside her daughter, trying to help or comfort her or do something when she felt her heart stop at the words spoken by her wife.

"Beca! I think my water just broke!"

* * *

Beca stepped out of the room and leaned back against the closed door, completely overwhelmed with emotion. Chloe had been amazing and their daughter couldn't have been any more perfect. It was different this time than with the triplets, only one tiny human to focus on instead of having your attention constantly shifting from one to the next to the next. The first time around they'd barely had time to think or breathe, let alone sit and study the one perfect face with the perfect nose and lips and each tiny finger and toe. Finally Chloe had met her eyes and sent her out to retrieve Christian and Grace, who'd accompanied them to the hospital.

Beca pushed off from the door and set off down the hallway to the small waiting area, surprised to see her dad, Sheila, Joe, and Nancy sitting alongside the Beale's.

"It's a girl!" Beca joked as she approached the group, running her fingers through her hair while they chuckled at her humor. It took her a second before she connected the dots. "Wait... if you're all here..." Beca trailed off warily, "Who's watching the kids?"

Ben stepped forward quickly, "Aubrey and Jesse showed up a few hours ago. Stacie and Nick too. They insisted that we should all be here at the hospital to meet our new granddaughter. The kids are fine... it's the puppies you should be worried about," he finished, with a shake of his head.

Beca waved his comment away, replying, "It's Stacie I'm worried about. Don't need any of her bad habits rubbing off on my angels. Aubrey either, come to think of it."

Sheila rolled her eyes, stepping forward to hug the brunette. "You're full of shit. The worst thing that'll rub off on them from those two girls is intelligence and a killer work ethic. They could do worse. Now, come on Mommy... I want to meet my new grandbaby."

Beca grinned, her thoughts immediately turning to her daughter carefully swaddled in Chloe's arms. "Okay, stepmonster. I've got a surprise for you anyways."

Beca hooked her arm through Sheila's and led the group down the hallway back to Chloe's room. They'd been very secretive about their daughter's name, though it had been set in stone since the day they found out she was a girl. The triplets were each given a middle name after one of their grandparents, and although Beca knew Sheila didn't care that she'd been left out, it had never really sat well with her.

"Here we are," Beca said, gripping the door handle. "Inside voices," she teased, before opening it and leading the group quietly inside.

Chloe's gaze was fixed on the tiny infant in her arms, eventually looking up and shooting them a tired smile as they entered the room.

"How're my two gorgeous girls?" Beca asked softly, immediately going to her side to press a kiss to her wife's lips and peek at the tiny face.

"Tired," Chloe replied, looking back down at her daughter. "Have you told them?"

Beca shook her head, carefully extracting her daughter from Chloe's arms to avoid waking her up. "Okay, stepmonster, you first," she said, cradling the baby in her arms.

"Everyone, we want you to meet Emmerson Elise Mitchell," Beca said, placing the sleeping baby in Sheila's arms, winking at her as the blonde's eyes filled with tears.

Sheila bit her lip before looking down at the baby in her arms, whispering, "Hi Emmerson. You have a great name, and you're so loved already..." Sheila trailed off, looking up at Beca who had returned to perch on the bed next to Chloe. "She's stunning, Chloe."

Sheila turned so that Grace and Nancy could see her before letting Grace hold her new granddaughter, turning to pull Beca into a tight hug. "Thanks, kid."

* * *

Beca wasn't sure how long she'd been lying beside Chloe on the hospital bed staring at her new daughter when a soft knock drew her attention to the door. Chloe and Emmerson had been sleeping for a while, and she carefully got to her feet so as not to wake them. She opened the door to see Stacie holding a giant balloon and grinning like an idiot, immediately giving her a hug.

Instead of letting her into the room, Beca pushed her back and stepped out into the hallway to see Nick, Jesse, and Aubrey behind her.

"Hey, thanks for coming you guys," she said, letting the door shut softly behind her. "They're sleeping but I'll wake them up in a minute. Chlo will be thrilled to see you."

Nick nudged Stacie out of the way and gave her a hug. "Congrats, Becs," he said warmly. "Three puppies and a newborn? What the hell were you thinking?"

"We were actually wondering that same thing," Jesse added with a laugh. "Glutton for punishment?"

Beca shrugged and shot him a sheepish smile. "Figured the puppies would occupy the triplets. Either that or we'll be getting a live in maid to clean up after them. Okay give me a sec to make sure Chloe's up."

Beca slipped back inside the room and padded over to the bed, gently rubbing up Chloe's arm. "Babe? You've got a few more visitors if you're up for it."

Chloe sleepily opened her eyes. "Hmm?"

"Jesse and Aubrey are here, along with Stacie and Nick... if you're up for it," Beca repeated, studying her wife's face closely. "If you're too tired I can tell them to come back tomorrow. It is Christmas after all."

Chloe shook her head, looking a little more away as she sat up a little higher against the pillows. "No, I'm fine. Let them in. I'll have to feed her soon anyways, so they won't have long to visit."

Beca hesitated, only moving back to the door at Chloe's shooing motion, opening it wide to let the small group file in.

Aubrey and Stacie immediately went to Chloe's beside to get a look at the baby, leaving Nick and Jesse hanging back with Beca as she shut the door.

"Christmas baby, huh?" Nick asked, his eyes on the three women cooing over the baby.

Beca grinned, answering, "Best Christmas present ever. She's perfect."

"What's her name?" Jesse asked.

"Emmerson Elise Mitchell," Beca answered proudly, watching as Aubrey gently rocked her daughter before passing her to Stacie.

It took Beca a minute of watching her best friend tear up before she realized what seemed so off about the situation. Her eyes wandered a little lower to the small, barely noticeable bump where there had never been one before.

Beca's eyes went wide as she pointed a finger at Stacie, exclaiming, "Holy shit! You're pregnant! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Stacie froze, her expression giving everything away as her eyes snapped up to meet Nick's. "I can't believe you told her! I was gonna do it!"

Nick looked properly affronted, immediately replying, "Uh, excuse you... I didn't tell her anything. She just guessed it."

Beca rolled her eyes, stalking over to her best friend. "Leave Nick out of it. You've never had an inch of body fat in your life... except your gigantic boobs," she said, giving Stacie's stomach a gentle poke. "Plus, you have the look."

Stacie raised her eyebrow, before turning her gaze back to the baby in her arms, finally admitting, "Yeah, so I guess the cat's out of the bag now. I'm pregnant."

Beca whooped a little too loudly as Emmerson woke up and immediately began crying. "Oops," she said, quickly stealing her daughter from Stacie and cuddling her close. "Sorry there little girl," she soothed, rocking the baby to little success. "Damnit, sorry guys but it's dinner time. Or second dinnertime... I'm not sure what number we're on to be honest," Beca finally gave in, handing the baby carefully to Chloe. "And I love you all, but not enough to let you see my wife's boobs."

Stacie winked at her, saying, "But I could use any tips or suggestions Chloe has..."

"Get out," Beca deadpanned to her best friend, finger pointed at the door.

"Bec, be nice," Chloe said, though Beca could tell she was distracted by Emmerson already.

Beca sighed, breaking into a smile. "Really, thanks for coming. Sorry we had to cut it a little short, but you can come visit any time after we bring her home."

The group quickly said their goodbye's and Beca ushered them out so Chloe could feed their daughter, perching on the side of the bed watching closely.

Chloe glanced up at her face, her tone teasing as she finally said, "You know I'll be breastfeeding for a while... might need to get used to people seeing my boobs."

Beca shook her head, retorting, "I'm already jealous enough I have to share them with our daughter, don't make it worse."

"You're ridiculous," Chloe laughed.

Beca frowned, before shaking her head and leaned down to cover Chloe's lips with her own. "Yeah, but you love me anyways."

Chloe snaked her free hand behind Beca's neck as she went to pull away, murmuring against her lips, "I do."

* * *

Beca paced slowly around the nursery with her daughter in her arms, softly humming and rocking her to sleep. Emmerson had been home for a little over a week and they'd been thrilled at how well their family was adjusting. The triplets loved their little sister more than Beca could have possibly imagined, constantly popping up nearby when she or Chloe was holding her to just stare at her little face or let her tiny hands grip onto one of their fingers. Emmerson was as fascinating to them as she was to Beca, and one of her new favorite things was to watch all three sit enraptured as Chloe explained different things about her.

They'd just finished their new bedtime routine which consisted of each triplet giving her a goodnight kiss and wishing her sweet dreams before scurrying off to bed. The sappiness of it almost put Beca into sugar shock, but ultimately she felt so lucky to have such an amazing family. She always gave most of the credit to Chloe, knowing how differently her life probably would have turned out without the redhead by her side. She couldn't have dreamed of a more perfect partner, whether it be life or parenting, Chloe stuck by her through unimaginable things and made her better. She'd never thought of herself as a parent, but now looking down into tiny Emmerson's face, Beca wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.

"Little Emmerson," Beca whispered softly. "I'm going to tell you everything you need to know about life. It's way simpler than most people think, but all you need to do is find yourself someone like your Mama. Someone who loves you through thick and thin, who's always got your back even when you're about to do something stupid... like adopt three puppies right before your wife gives birth to your fourth kid."

Beca paused, thinking back to earlier in the day when they'd temporarily lost the puppies in the backyard only to find them covered in mud after digging up half a flower bed. Chloe had shot her a look that clearly told her she was on her own, before shifting Emmerson in her arms and disappearing back inside the house.

Her thoughts turned to her parents, who she based a lot of her own parenting off of. "And just know that whatever you do, your Mama and I will always be there to support you and cheer you on... even if you fail. And know that it's okay to fail... that's how you learn. I'll always be there to help you get back up, I promise you."

Beca shook her head as her daughter's tiny snores filled the room, mumbling, "Sure, fall asleep in the middle of my awesome advice."

"I thought it was great."

Beca slowly turned to glance at the doorway to see Chloe leaning against the frame, not too subtly wiping a tear from her eye. "Not creepy at all, Mrs. Mitchell," she whispered, moving to gently place Emmerson in her crib.

She felt Chloe move up beside her and wrap an arm around her waist.

"You're so cheesy... you know that?" Chloe whispered, chuckling softly. "So fluffy and soft with your speeches and advice and love."

Beca rolled her eyes though she was in no position to argue, retorting, "Excuse you, I'm a badass. Always have been, always will be."

Chloe leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek before walking away towards the door. "Whatever you say. Oh, did you pack the kid's lunches for school tomorrow?"

Beca turned on the baby monitor and rolled her eyes as she followed her wife out of the room. "Of course I did. And I put in the right Capri Sun flavors this time, thank you very much."

"Totes badass, baby."

"Shut up."

"I love you."

Beca paused in the doorway, taking one last look back at her newborn daughter as Chloe's arms wrapped around her waist and her wife's chin rested on her shoulder, murmuring, "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!
> 
> It's still so crazy to me that this story is done. AH! I apologize for making you wait so long for the last chapter, but I had a minor knee problem that turned into a pretty major surgery.
> 
> Massive thanks to my beta and friend Arsto for helping me plot and scheme and write for so long. Truly thankful to have you in my life.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey! Your comments and messages have been so awesome and uplifting and I'm not sure I would have finished without all the love and support.
> 
> Lastly, I'm not sure when I'll write again. There will not be a third installment to this series. I've thought about doing additional one shots of specific things, but I'm not sold on that either. I will be posting one final chapter after this one that will show all the songs I imagined on Beca's albums, even the ones that didn't make it in, since music was obviously a huge inspiration for this story.
> 
> Thank you all so much for everything! This journey has grown me as a writer and as a person, and I couldn't have done it without you!


End file.
